SOC101Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Demographic Transition, Infant Mortality, Population Ageing
Document Summary
First demographic transition: change from low and stable population of pre-industrial societies (high fertility and high mortality) to growing population of industrial societies (slowly declining fertility, fast declining mortality). Modernization theory of development: industrialization fosters labor force participation and rationalism, which foster decline in fertility. Cultural lag: cultural norms maintain high fertility. Second demographic transition: change from growing population of industrial societies to high and stable (later: declining) population of post-industrial societies (low fertility and low mortality). Demographic change is the result of fertility, mortality, and net migration. Declining fertility is the most important cause of population ageing. Fertility declined from 7 births per woman in the 1850s to under 2 by 1980s. Proximate causes: fewer long-term relationships and marriages, older age at marriage, more divorces, cohabitation, and use of birth control. Cultural causes: changes in value and cost of children in both economic and cultural terms.
