Population policy and development

Abstract

In a sense, all government activities can and do exert an influence upon the size, growth, structure and distribution of a population . Some government activities clearly affect the population directly while others may operate more subtly and indirectly. But to regard each and every government activity as population policy would be productive, if not erroneous. The consensus among population write is that discussions of population policy should be confined to only "those actions of government tha t affect or attempt to affect the balance between births, deaths and migration of human beings. This definition of population policy thus contains the following key elements: some demographic effect should be intended or produced; indirect as well as direct measures should be considered; and, population- influencing rather than population-responsive policies, ought to be emphasized. It does not however restrict the term population policy to policies which are explicitly enunciated by the government. While legislation and executive declarations represent explicit policy ' they may represent only a part of actual policy. Relevant population influencing government action may exist even in the absence of an explicit policy .