1. "Fertilitycontrol isthe keytodevelopmentinthe Caribbean."Discussthisstatement,makingreference
to specificcountriesinthe Caribbean.(25marks) - CAPE2003
Answer:
Generallythe term“development”isusedbyWesternsociologiststomean industrialization,economic
growthand the livingstandardsassociatedwithprosperitysuchasan increasedlife expectancy,health
care and free education.The questionistherefore:“CanFertilitycontrol offersuchdevelopmentto
Caribbeansociety?”.It isquite evidentthatnumerousCaribbeansocietiesare growingsignificantlyin
termsof population.Itwasestimatedthatthe populationof Jamaicain2008 have increasedbyalmost
thirtypercentof what itwas in1998. It leadstherefore more effortsto increase fertilitycontrol andin
an effortincrease the developmentof the region.FormostCaribbeanSociologists,fertilitycontrol is
oftentimesanecessaryingredientforsocial andeconomical development.Inthat,the lesspeople
withinacountry, the lessmoneywouldbe spentfordevelopment,thusachievingthisgoal quickerand
easier.
Under the Modernizationtheory,P.Ehrlichassertsthatarapid populationgrowthinlessdeveloped
countries,[asinthe CaribbeanwithHaiti,Jamaicaandsome lesserAntillescountries],isanobstacle for
development.Ehrlicharguesthatpopulationexplosionisseenasameansby whichlimitedresources
are strainedupon.Caribbeansociologistswhoacceptthistheoryargue thatitis therefore importantto
reduce the populationbyfertilitycontrol.Theyacceptthe notionthatpoor Caribbeancountriesmust
adoptthese methodsfromsuchdevelopedcountriesasChina,the UnitedKingdomandthe United
States.The Modernizationtheorybelievesthatone of the mainwaysin whichlessdevelopedcountries
couldcontrol theirpopulationgrowthistoadoptfamily- planningpoliciesthusloweringtheirfertility
rates.
Othersociological theoriesacceptthe notionthatfertilitycontrol isanimportantingredientfor
development.The DemographicTransitiontheorybyWarrenS.Thompsonprovidesthatthe growthrate
of a populationtendstostabilize once acertainlevel of economicdevelopmentisachievedprimarily
because people inurbanindustrializedsocietiesprefersmallerfamiliesandvoluntarilylimitthe number
of theirchildren.Hence,itmeantareductioninthe birthrate, due to fertilitycontrol,isanindicatorof
economicdevelopment.Itmustbe notedalsothatthe DemographicTransitiontheoryalsoclaimsthat
developmentcanbe achievedbyeconomicgrowth.
Notall theoriesacceptthe belief thatfertilitycontrol isthe “key”ingredientfordevelopmentinthe
Caribbean.Bothfunctionalistsandconflicttheoristshave notsupportedpopulationcontrol policies.
Functionalistsargue thatthe growthof populationindevelopedcountrieshasbeenaccompaniedby
indicatorsof progressandstability,improvededucation,lifeexpectancyandpercapitaincome levels.
Thus theytendtoviewpopulationgrowthasanasset.
Conflicttheoristscontendthatthe concernaboutpopulationexplosionisjustashamto hide the real
issues,whichisreallythe overconsumptionof goodsindevelopedcountries,thatleavesjustone -fifthof
the world'sresourcesforthe populations of the developingcountries.Thisnotionisacceptedbythe
Dependencytheory.The DependencyTheorybelievesthatthe true cause of povertyandunder

2. developmentinpoorcountries,suchasthose inthe Caribbean,isdue tothe inequalitiesof distribution
inresourcesbetweencountries.Theyargue thatfertilitycontrol istherefore notameansof
development.True developmentcanonlybe seeninbetterdistributionof resources.
NumerousCaribbeansociologistshave arguedthattrue developmentof the Caribbeanregioncanonly
be achievedbythe developmentof the humanresources.The humanresourcesare infactthe main
resourcesof the region,hence,developingthisimportantcommoditymeansanoverall developmentof
otheraspectsof Caribbeansociety.Hence,provisionsmustbe made toimprove healthorganizations,
educational institutions,religiousbranchesandrecreational institutions.SusanGeorge,amajorcriticof
fertilitycontrol,agreedwiththisnotion,andcontendedthatpopulationwill decline automaticallyas
people become bettereducated,healthcare improvesandpovertyisattacked.Thoughnotinhisline of
arguments,WarrenS. Thompsonagree thatthismay be a possibility;people wouldsoonorlatersee
childrenasburden.He believesthatpeoplegenerallytendtohave asmany childrenhastheycan
supportor “afford”.
Furthermore,itdoeshelpshouldthe governmentstarttomake good technological advanceswithinthe
country.ArthurLewis,a Caribbeaneconomistandsociologists,inhistheoryof Industrializationby
Invitation,assertsthatthe Caribbeanregionneedstoacceptaidfromdevelopedcountriesinorderfor
themto become industrialized.He arguesthatwithindustrializationandthereforetechnological
improvementscomesdevelopmentinthe Caribbeanregion.
There islittle needtoremindCaribbeansociologiststhatreducingthe populationof acountryis
importantas ithelpstostabilize the country’seconomyandindoingsoreduce the dependencyratioof
the people onthe limitedresourcesof the region.However,mostCaribbeansociologistshave accepted
the notionthat “fertilitycontrol”isnotthe keyingredientfordevelopment.Evenif itshouldbe that
fertilitycontrol isnecessaryfordevelopment,itcannotexistsolelywithoutimprovingthe human
resources,distributingresourcesproperlyandgainingtechnological assistance inanefforttobe
industrialized.These are true keysinbecome “developed”