(3 Ruben Robert Population Control)

Each year in the United States, about 4 million infants are born (Eunic Kennedy Shriver
National Institue of Child Health and Human Development, 2011). That along with permanent
foreign populations entering the country amounts to millions of new persons every year. A
problem can arise from this accumulation of populous: overcrowding. The most common
solution from this dilemma is called population control. From Romans leaving babies deemed
unfit on hills to dominating societies preventing lesser societies from procreating, population
control has been ever present in human cultures. The beginning of modern population control
started in the mid eighteenth century during the French and Indian War (1763) when infectious
European soldiers unknowingly gave the Native Americans Smallpox, decimating the native
population(1). Other attempts at controlling a population have been more deliberate, such as the
genocide of the Creek Indians in 1814 or even the Holocaust of the Jewish, ill, homosexual, and
Christian peoples (Howard, n.d.). During the 1900s, population problems were met with even
more blatancy. For instance, China, among others, denied guns to those against the
government who were eventually rounded up and exterminated. Current day population
control methods are not quite as extreme nor violent as in the past: abortion and pregnancypreventing pills along with population laws (i.e. Permitting only one child per household). With a
modern code of ethics, questions arise from methods of population control claiming that
population control is not only immoral, but is disadvantageous to the economy and environment.
However, the are counters to these arguments claiming environmental gain and even proven
evidence supporting population control. This essay will try to expose the different sides of this
seemingly controversial issue.
Humans use a lot of resources, with the average person to used resources being 1:3. If
dramatic population control methods were to be in place, the amount of unused resources
would naturally increase. Imagine a major city, say, New York City with half the population.
There would be desolation everywhere from abandoned facilities, leaving ghost towns where
hundreds of thousands could have possibly lived, if not for population control. Yet another
problem that can arise from population control overproduction. Large manufacturers would
have little time to compensate to a drastic population change, which would in turn lead to more
unused items filling landfills, which would be costly to manage. A smaller issue would be one of
diversity. The survival of a species depends on its ability to cope with a variety of issues, from
genetic disorders to disease. By limiting the genetic pool, one limits a species, in this case
human, genetic superiority. Lastly, and most importantly, there is an issue of morals. Since
nearly the conception of population control, there has been a wall from both religion and a
sense of freedom. Those who side with the religious aspect, claim that controlling a population
is mocking God. Those siding with the more secular minded, fear the idea of a ruling body
abusing population control for gain or further dominance (BT 11 Sem1: Population Control
FGLN, n.d.). Either way, the main concern lies with humans using population control
irresponsibly.
Though the evidence already presented seems to negate population control, there are
benefits to this practice. A large concern lies with the rapid depletion of the Earths resources.

With the exponential growth of the humans, Non-renewable resources are estimated to be
completed depleted within 100 years (BT 11 Sem 1: Population Control FGLN, n.d.). Population
control is a very effective way to control not only to control populations naturally but maintain
a healthy supplies of resources for the future. A specific region in the world benefits highly from
a controlled population: Africa. In Africa, the rates of STDs are among the highest in the world,
as they are in many less developed regions. Higher populations can be linked to higher STD
rates in third world countries. Reason? No access the birth control. Condoms, a very cheap
form of birth control, are over 99% effective at preventing sexually transmitted diseases, like
AIDS and HIVs (BT 11 Sem 1: Population Control FGLN, n.d.). If science isnt a worthy enough
converting force, then perhaps proven successful implementation is. One story deals with
China:

Population control methods have been used in China since 1978 when the Chinese
government implemented the One-Child Policy. This policy was made to lower the major
environmental, social, and economic problems in China. These problems consist of
pollution, overcrowding, and unemployment. In March of 2011, the government reviewed
this policy and now allows two children to be born with an application beforehand. The
two child limit is mainly enforced in urban areas. In rural areas, families that apply for a
second child are more likely to be approved. In most cases, the Chinese government will
allow a second child if the first child was a girl or if the first child was born with a mental
or physical disability. The second child in all cases has to be three or four years apart
from the first child. This helps keep generations apart. In the present, China's growth
rate is at a low .493% , which is 151 out of the entire world. China's population is
currently stable, and is not expected to rapidly rise anytime soon (BT 11 Sem1:
Population Control FGLN, n.d.).
Population control is a proven to be beneficial in some societies, however it is unsure whether
population control is applicable to all societies.
Population control affects societies differently. Peoples of a low standard of living are
particularly sensitive to population measures. For instance, as mentioned above, less developed
countries benefit more from a controlled population than say, a countryside in Kentucky. As one
can easily deduce, the more crowded a society, the more deficient its people's living condition,
the more effective population controlling methods are.
Within the United States, population control is fairly minimal. In fact, there are hardly any,
if any forcible methods of population control; most are voluntary. The most widely accepted
methods within the States are condoms and birth control pills. Though not a prominent item in
the lives in many Americans, Population Control has been a large issue in politics. A major
figure in the fight for more liberal population control policies is Ms. Roe. In December of 1971,
Roe, a pregnant single woman, went to the Supreme Court over constitutionality of Texas
abortion laws, which state all nonmedical abortions illegal. The Roe v. Wade decision extended

a womans decision over an abortion following two guidelines: Protecting a womans health and
protecting the potentiality of human life (FindLaw, n.d.).
In my opinion, population control is a very controversial issue. In a rank from 1-10 with
one being not severe and 10 being very severe, I would say this issue lies within the reach of a
6-7. This score would be because the human ever-expanding population and depletion of the
our precious resources is a very affective matter. Too many people could result in overcrowding,
disease, and as already stated numerous times, a depletion of resources. The other component
of the score lies within the ethics itself. Should we be able to decide who lives and who dies?
When does life begin? These and other tremendous question resolve to my decision of a score
between 6 and 7.

References
BT 11 Sem 1: Population Control FGLN. (n.d.). Pros of Population Control. Retrieved from BT
Sem 1: Population Control FGLN: https://sites.google.com/a/brvgs.k12.va.us/bt-11-sem-1population-control-fgln/pro-page
BT 11 Sem1: Population Control FGLN. (n.d.). Cons of Population Control. Retrieved from BT
11 Sem1: Population Control FGLN: https://sites.google.com/a/brvgs.k12.va.us/bt-11-sem-1population-control-fgln/con-page
Eunic Kennedy Shriver National Institue of Child Health and Human Development. (2011). How
many infants are born in the United States each year? Retrieved from Eunic Kennedy Shriver
National Institue of Child Health and Human Development:
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/infantcare/conditioninfo/Pages/born.aspx
FindLaw. (n.d.). ROE v. WADE. Retrieved from FindLaw : http://caselaw.findlaw.com/ussupreme-court/410/113.html
Howard, R. (n.d.). A History Timeline of Population Control. Retrieved from A History Timeline of
Population Control: http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/esp_sociopol_depopu20.htm