Population Politics - 9781138530508

Taylor & Francis

Why, after several decades of helping poor countries improve their standard of living, is poverty still the rule? This is a provocative examination of international efforts to regulate fertility rates, and of the influence of aid and liberal policies on world population growth. > International efforts to regulate fertility rates so that populations do not grow beyond the earth's capacity have included technical assistance and capital; improved health care conditions to lower the risk of infant mortality; increased opportunities to develop literacy; the democratization of governments; and several decades of liberal immigration and refugee policies favoring third world nations. The persistence of high fertility despite international efforts confounds demographers. 'Population Politics' brilliantly dissects the paradigm responsible for the counterproductive efforts of nations and international agencies. Abernethy, a renowned anthropologist, shows why policies hamper the shift to lowen