Trading Children; a decent proposal?
For decades overpopulation has been an issue, similarly under population in certain areas can be just as detrimental. It is easy to see the problems that arise from overpopulation if you look at the situation in China, the overcrowding is so intense that a “One-child policy” (Greenhalgh, 2003) was put in place. Under population becomes a problem when cultures have low fertility rates and have “the need to be numerous enough to support an endangered cultural identity.”(De La Croix and Gosseries, 2009). In many areas, if it is not cultural identity, it’s a pension plan or the health care system that is at risk. The solution to both problems of over and under population is simple; child trade.
Although this method of population control may seem crude, in actual fact it could quite possibly become the standard procedure for managing population issues according to David De La Croix and Axel Gosseries co-authors of “Population Policy through Tradable Procreation Entitlements.”(2009). First of all, let it be made clear that this article is not promoting child trafficking or unlawful adoptions, simply the revolutionary idea to manage population size by coupons. Yes, coupons also referred to as “procreation entitlements” that share the same function as any ticket or coupon and would be given the value of a percentage of a child. Procreation entitlements can cause increase, decrease, or just maintain a population size, and by doing so becomes a very effective way of managing any population.
How Procreation Entitlements work:
Procreation Entitlements would be used to manage population size by creating a quota for the production of children. Since these entitlements are only worth a fraction of a child the owner would therefore need to collect a number of these in order to be permitted to have one. The study proposes that each mature female would be given one certificate and must inherit or buy the remaining entitlements until a child can be obtained.
“The unit of these certificates might be the “deci-child,” and accumulation of ten of these units by purchase, inheritance, or gift would permit a woman in maturity to have one legal child.”(De La Croix et. al., 2009)
Although this system seems complicated and difficult it will not only be beneficial in controlling population size it will also ensure that every child is wanted and taken care of. De La Croix and Gosseries determine their numbers by using equations that take into account the fertility rates, education, wealth, and the target population of the population in their interest.
Quotas provide optimal population size:
The benefits of quotas are all around us, milk production, fishing, and hunting are all maintained by quotas; it is not unreasonable to believe that our own population can also benefit from it. If all populations can be controlled by procreation entitlements then the problem of over and under population can be easily solved. A tradable procreation policy is our answer to the world’s population problem.
De La Croix, David. Gosseries, Axel. “Population Policy through Tradable Procreation Entitlements.” Inernational Economic Review Vol. 50, No. 2, May 2009. http://journals1.scholarsportal.info/tmp/5639715077738306198.pdf Accessed Oct. 8, 2009
Greenhalgh, S., “Science, Modernity, and the Making of China’s One-child Policy,” Population
and Development Review 29 (2003), 163–96.
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im still kinda confused about how this whole system works.This is how i understand it, so women have to collect monopoly money so to speak, and when they reach the magic number they have permission to have a child. the wholes system does not seem logical to me, how would it be enforced, would a lock be put on the baby maker until you can buy the key to unlock it. Thats just my take on the subject.Nothing against you Rachel, your title was the first title from all the blogs the really caught my attention, your article was really intresting to read, your articles flowed well from begining to end, and you are very well explained. well done
ReplyDeleteAs with Pat I am still confused with how this system would work exactly. Does it cost the same amount of tickets to have children everywhere or is the cost of having children in under populated countries less to encourage reproduction? This would mean people who wanted children would leave their own country, and although the under populated country is now growing, this just seems like a sneaky yet inevitable way around the system, thus ruining the point of procreation control. But other than the primary article being on a strange concept your blog is well written and incredibly interesting.
ReplyDeleteI THINK i understand how this works but i'm not sure how the procreation entitlements are earned. However it is an interesting idea that someone with this i guess, crazy ambition would consider this. Personnaly i think there are too many factors involved with this distribution of children but that's just my opinion. As for your blog, excellent structure as well as an interesting title that really grabs your attention.
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