Population PoliciesPopulation Policies

Part 1: Babies and more babiesPart 1: Babies and more babies

Changing Times & NeedsChanging Times & Needs

Watch the video. With a partner, jot down Watch the video. With a partner, jot down and describe what you see.and describe what you see.

What can you infer from the video about What can you infer from the video about the living conditions in Singapore at that the living conditions in Singapore at that time?time?

What w

as life lik

e…

What w

as life lik

e…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cymVNcpnXTY&feature=fvsr

Buzz Break 1

Today’s LessonToday’s Lesson

You will learn:You will learn:

The negative effects of population growth.The negative effects of population growth.

The measures government took to reduce The measures government took to reduce these effects. these effects.

The effects of government measures and its The effects of government measures and its impact on Singapore societyimpact on Singapore society

Approach to SBQs – Inference SkillApproach to SBQs – Inference Skill

Singapore’s population Singapore’s population boom (1950s to 1960s)boom (1950s to 1960s)

After the war there was a period of After the war there was a period of stability and peace.stability and peace.

People had more children during this People had more children during this period as they were:period as they were:

More confident about the future. Life was More confident about the future. Life was hard but at least health conditions and hard but at least health conditions and nutrition was improving.nutrition was improving.

Measures to Measures to control control population growth – population growth –

1960s1960s The government launched three 5-year Plans to control The government launched three 5-year Plans to control

population growth between 1966 to 1981 (F).population growth between 1966 to 1981 (F).

First 5 year plan (1966-1971)First 5 year plan (1966-1971)

Plan emphasised need for smaller families, created Plan emphasised need for smaller families, created awareness of the negative effects of pop. growth.awareness of the negative effects of pop. growth.

Second 5 year plan (1971-1976)Second 5 year plan (1971-1976)

Encouraged married couples to stop at two. This measure Encouraged married couples to stop at two. This measure was to reduce the size of the replacement rate.was to reduce the size of the replacement rate.

Measures to Measures to control control population growth population growth

measuresmeasures Measures from the 3Measures from the 3rdrd Five-Year Plan Five-Year Plan

TThe third plan aimed to maintain the replacement he third plan aimed to maintain the replacement level of the population at 2.1level of the population at 2.1

What is replacement level? – What is replacement level? –

Mothers having just enough children to replace the population that is growing older or dying

Measures to Measures to controlcontrol population growth – population growth –

1960s1960s Measures from third plan (1976-1981) Measures from third plan (1976-1981)

No paid maternity leave to be given to the third and No paid maternity leave to be given to the third and subsequent children.subsequent children.

No priority given to large families in the allocation of No priority given to large families in the allocation of government flatsgovernment flats

No income tax relief to be given for the fourth and No income tax relief to be given for the fourth and subsequent childrensubsequent children

Delivery charges in hospitals to be increased with Delivery charges in hospitals to be increased with each additional child.each additional child.

What was the effect of this?What was the effect of this?

What does th

is graph tell y

ou?

Effects of population Effects of population controlcontrol measures measures

The three five year plans very effective in The three five year plans very effective in controlling population:controlling population:

Replacement level dropped and less Replacement level dropped and less problems of population growth.problems of population growth.

Resources and infrastructure were now Resources and infrastructure were now adequate to support smaller population…adequate to support smaller population…

……but a new problem arose. but a new problem arose.

Buzz Break 2Buzz Break 2

Discuss with your partner what do you think Discuss with your partner what do you think was the was the newnew problem that emerged after the problem that emerged after the success of the population control success of the population control measures?measures?

Effects of population Effects of population controlcontrol measures measures

1980s – Declining birth rate1980s – Declining birth rate

Due to success of population control measuresDue to success of population control measures Increased cost of livingIncreased cost of living Increased cost of medical careIncreased cost of medical care High cost of raising children – FDWs, Tuition fees etc.High cost of raising children – FDWs, Tuition fees etc. Later marriages and more Singaporeans remaining Later marriages and more Singaporeans remaining

unmarried – believe that children may lead to them unmarried – believe that children may lead to them having less money for themselves.having less money for themselves.

Lack of child-care arrangements.Lack of child-care arrangements.

Effects of population Effects of population control control policiespolicies

Declining birth rate - 80s had negative effects. Declining birth rate - 80s had negative effects.

Need to promote population growth because:Need to promote population growth because:

Larger workforce - to sustain economic growthLarger workforce - to sustain economic growth

Small labor market – difficult/expensive for MNCs to Small labor market – difficult/expensive for MNCs to set-up factories here. (Why?)set-up factories here. (Why?)

Country faced with ageing population- less young Country faced with ageing population- less young people looking after older peoplepeople looking after older people

Fewer men to enlist in National Service (NS) – what Fewer men to enlist in National Service (NS) – what about Singapore’s sovereignty and security?about Singapore’s sovereignty and security?

Effects of declining Effects of declining populationpopulation

Economic EffectsEconomic Effects

Unattractive to multi-national companiesUnattractive to multi-national companies With a small population Singapore would not be With a small population Singapore would not be

able to produce enough talented people.able to produce enough talented people.

MNCs would find it more expensive to recruit MNCs would find it more expensive to recruit talented workers compared to other countries like talented workers compared to other countries like China and India.China and India.

Smaller market for goods and services produced Smaller market for goods and services produced by MNCs. This would lead them to relocate to by MNCs. This would lead them to relocate to other areas.other areas.

Effects of declining Effects of declining populationpopulation

Social EffectsSocial Effects Ageing population Ageing population

Fewer babies ea. year = fewer young people in Fewer babies ea. year = fewer young people in the population.the population.

The numbers of older people would be The numbers of older people would be proportionately larger.proportionately larger.

Younger people would need to shoulder more of Younger people would need to shoulder more of the burden of looking after older citizens.the burden of looking after older citizens.

Also…more resources needed to look after Also…more resources needed to look after elderly (This is covered in the next lecture) elderly (This is covered in the next lecture)

Effects of Declining Effects of Declining PopulationPopulation

Social EffectsSocial Effects

DefenceDefence Fewer babies born each year = less men to enlist for Fewer babies born each year = less men to enlist for

National Service (military training)National Service (military training)

This shortage could weaken Singapore’s defence in This shortage could weaken Singapore’s defence in the long run. the long run.

Make Singapore more vulnerable to attack from Make Singapore more vulnerable to attack from external forces.external forces.

More resources needed to improve our military More resources needed to improve our military advantage – reliance on high tech equipmentadvantage – reliance on high tech equipment

Measures to Measures to promote promote population growth – population growth –

1980s 1980s Graduate Mothers Scheme (1984)Graduate Mothers Scheme (1984)

Encouraged marriages among graduates and to have Encouraged marriages among graduates and to have more children. (F)more children. (F)

Create a more educated workforce. This would mean Create a more educated workforce. This would mean less need for a large population. (El + Ex)less need for a large population. (El + Ex)

Scheme withdrawn in 85’ because of negative response Scheme withdrawn in 85’ because of negative response from all sections of population. (L)from all sections of population. (L)

Non-graduates - discriminatory and graduates felt this Non-graduates - discriminatory and graduates felt this government should not be involved in this area. (L)government should not be involved in this area. (L)

Measures to Measures to promote promote population growth – 80s & 90’spopulation growth – 80s & 90’s ““Have-more-children-if-you-can” policyHave-more-children-if-you-can” policy

Parents encouraged to have 3 or more if they could Parents encouraged to have 3 or more if they could afford it.afford it.

Government encouraged this, by having measures to Government encouraged this, by having measures to relieve financial burden of having more children.relieve financial burden of having more children.

e.g. able to use MediSave to pay for delivery e.g. able to use MediSave to pay for delivery charges for first three children.charges for first three children.

Did not lead to large increases in population. Did not lead to large increases in population. S’poreans believed having children was not S’poreans believed having children was not affordable.affordable.

Measures to Measures to promotepromote population growth – 2000s population growth – 2000s

Pro-Family Measures – 2004Pro-Family Measures – 2004

In 80s & 90s – population still not growing. Replacement In 80s & 90s – population still not growing. Replacement level still below 2.1. Negative effect on economy.level still below 2.1. Negative effect on economy.

Government intro’ measures to encourage growth:Government intro’ measures to encourage growth: Five-day work week for the civil serviceFive-day work week for the civil service Grandparent care-giver relief (income tax)Grandparent care-giver relief (income tax) Extended maternity leave (from 8 to 12 weeks)Extended maternity leave (from 8 to 12 weeks)

Despite these measures, replacement rate still low and Despite these measures, replacement rate still low and dropping.dropping.

Measures to Measures to promote promote population growth – presentpopulation growth – present

Policy to attract foreign talent:Policy to attract foreign talent:

Govt. still promoting population increase - worried that Govt. still promoting population increase - worried that economy will be effected by low birth rate. economy will be effected by low birth rate.

Encouraged global talents to come to Singapore to work Encouraged global talents to come to Singapore to work & build economy - enhance S’pore’s competitiveness.& build economy - enhance S’pore’s competitiveness.

Relaxed immigration policy from 1989 Relaxed immigration policy from 1989 Subsidized housingSubsidized housing Attractive education packages for children of new citizensAttractive education packages for children of new citizens

Policy needed but not welcomed by S’poreans – many Policy needed but not welcomed by S’poreans – many feel foreigners taking opportunities away from them.feel foreigners taking opportunities away from them.

Lesson RecapLesson Recap List the measures that government put in List the measures that government put in

place to control population.place to control population.

List one effect of large populationList one effect of large population

List one effect of declining population.List one effect of declining population.

What are the parts of a SBQ question?What are the parts of a SBQ question?

What are the steps to an SBQ question?What are the steps to an SBQ question?