Summary Response #2

Overpopulation, a real problem in LDCs

This article, written in the “Australian” on February 04, 2009, by Frank Furedi titled “New King Herods target babies as potential polluters”, is a plea for human life and concerns birth control in Britain, for which some people approve measures. The author compares Jonathon Porrit, who presides over the Sustainable Development Commission and is patron of the Optimum Population Trust, a Malthusian campaigning group, with King Herod. He states that Porrit has joined the new group of those who hate people and life, and he cites Barry Walters, an associate professor of obstetric medicine at the University of Western Australia, who believes that strict control on births per couple is necessary for the continued existence of the planet, and who also considers every newborn baby in Australia as a potential polluter, not only because of the emission of gas but also because of the utilization of the limited resources. The author disagrees with the idea of considering the reduction of gas produced by man much more important than man based on the importance different cultures all over history have granted to childbirth; and the consideration of having children as a blessing. The author also mentions Kelpie Wilson, one of the environmentalists, who argues in favor of abortion as a sacrifice to save the environment and preserve the future. In opposition to that consideration, the author refers to the ancient time and the Western society in the 21st century, which protects human life and takes care of newborn and helps old people extend their lives. Humanity’s progress is the source of environmental problems, and then decrease of the population is the solution. In the author’s view, such demand by Porrit to reduce families’ size in Britain is probably the first stage for the disappearance of the human race on the earth.

Nowadays population growth is considered as a problem, and then, reducing births is a controversial issue. Some people believe that reducing births is the solution for the rapid growth of the population, but others view birth control as an intrusion into their private life and freedom, or a violation of their spiritual beliefs. I disagree with abortion, which is one of the birth control methods, but I believe that birth control is necessary to slow population growth, particularly in the Less Developed Countries (LDCs), because the population growth causes health problems, it causes starvation, and it is source of joblessness.

Population growth causes health problems, because in the Less Developed Countries the number of physicians per inhabitant is low, the health care is poor, and then there are not enough physicians in the hospitals, and people cannot afford the cost of going to the private hospital and receiving the best health care for the reason that it is very expensive. The more children a couple has, the bigger its problems are in terms of health care. The main problem is that without a good health system, transmittable diseases such as tuberculosis and measles can cause a lot of death.

Population growth causes starvation, because most of the people do not have money to buy food, there is not a good social system to take of those persons who do not get a job, and most of the Less Developed Countries neither produce enough food to take care of the population, nor get enough money to import food to distribute to the population. Those who are really affected by the starvation are the children.

Population growth, particularly no control of birth, is a source of joblessness, because there are more people than the industries and the factories need. Even the well-educated people have to compete to get a job, so it is difficult to find a job, and most of the time people work as part time when they could get a full time job.

Finally, population growth first causes health problems, second causes starvation, and third causes joblessness. Babies are important to replace the people who die and to grow into labor force, but it is also important to be prepared for them.


Furedi, F. (2009, February 3). New King Herods target babies as potential polluters. The Australian . Retrieved on February 3, 2009, from http://www.frankfuredi.com/index.php/site/article/285/