The Ethics of Controlling Population Growth in the Developing World
Keywords:
PopulationAbstract
A growing population places strains on resources, both natural and monetary, and is problematic in third world countries, where fertility rates are the highest. However, a high rate of population growth affects more than just the host country and should be viewed as a global problem in which numerous players including countries, businesses and NGOs hold important stakes. In this essay I differentiate between (a) coercive methods of controlling population growth (e.g., a one-child policy), and (b) passive methods of population control (e.g., family planning). More specifically, I address whether it is morally acceptable for developed nations like the United States to limit the high growth rates of poorer nations through these coercive and/or passive methods.  Â
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).