at measures if any should be taken to slow population growth. To some the planet is already overpopulated, but others claim that if everyone existed at a minimum survival level, Earth could support 20-48 billion people. This would require that everyone abide with a replacement fertility rate. It is a number of children a couple must bear to replace themselves. It is slightly higher than two children per couple. 2.1 children in MDCs and as high as 2.5 children in some LDCs. This suggestion does not mean that if the fertility rates are lowered to replacement level that the population will come to immediate halt. The chain reaction would take 50 years to see if it was continued with success.Another suggestion made to help slow population growth is an idea that has many other effects, ones that society might not be ready for. Its called, “Reducing Births by Empowering Women”. Women tend to have fewer and healthier children and live longer when they have access to education and to paying jobs outside the home, and when they live in societies in which their individual rights are not suppressed. Having children later in their life infringes on the amount of babies they are capable of bearing. However, empowering women by seeking gender equality will require some major social changes, which will be difficult to achieve. “Using Economic Rewards and Penalties to Reduce Births” is another organization being put to use in some 20 countries. It is taking family planning to another level. They believe that it is morally suitable for the organization to pay individuals who agree to use contraceptives or to become sterilized. However such payments are most likely to attract people who already have all the children they want. Some countries such as China, penalize couples who have more than one or two children by raising their taxes, charging other fees, or disallowing income tax deductions for a couple’s thi...
