CURRENTLY, for the very first time in its entire anthropological history, humankind is faced with one of the most horrible existential crises: overpopulation, an undesirable condition where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of the Earth. But, some skeptics still, due to one reason or another, spurn the very existence of this problem. But, let it be clear, a bad situation exacerbates only when comprehending the gravity of a problem is disdained. This has been aptly described by Martin Luther King Jr. who once said, “Unlike the plagues of the dark ages or contemporary diseases we do not yet understand, the modern plague of overpopulation is soluble by means we have discovered and with resources we possess. What is lacking is not sufficient knowledge of the solution but universal consciousness of the gravity of the problem and education of the billions who are its victims.”
Overpopulation has been springing out motley of problems like poverty, illiteracy, hunger, unemployment, human trafficking, global warming, depletion of natural resources, political unrest and so on. Therefore, the sooner the population problem is recognized as a serious threat, the better it is for the planet Earth—and those living on it.
But, perplexingly, there are still some skeptics who maintain that overpopulation is an over-stated problem. Due to such skepticism, the demographic denialism is on the rise across the globe. They assert that it is a natural process of having more children and one should not interfere with the processes of nature. Population explosion is hype, they maintain and argue that if it were a dire threat to the planet, the governments around the world would have moved heaven and earth to control it, which is, currently, not the case. Government officials, politicians, analysts and even feminists blatantly deny the demographic realities of a fast-growing population. This denial, apparently, has many reasons like politics, profits, discrimination, religious beliefs, escapism and trepidation.
The deniers of over-population maintain that population control is only a ploy used to assault the individuals’ rights, especially those of women. They even accuse the feminists of misusing the women rights to force them to have fewer babies. They say one has complete control over one’s body and one should not be forced to produce less progeny. They say women are forced into abortion so as to produce fewer children, which is a direct assault on her reproductive rights. Even some feminists, though, consider population control as a violation of women rights.
The debunkers of population control opine that governments, which adopt family planning policies, scare people by population bomb. They cite China’s ‘One Child Policy’ through which, they say, the world’s most populated country used the state muscles to limit births; women were given abortion against their will and were sterilized without their knowledge. They even blame this for the shrinkage of China’s young working population, a condition also prevalent in Japan, Germany and Italy, which had been toiling for population control. China, in order to avoid workforce shortage, is now on the way to increase its population, they argue. China has allowed couples to have two children and is giving bonuses on having a second baby. The demographic denialists accuse that governments that adopt population control policies are prodded by western countries, chiefly the United States and international organizations, most notably UN—UNPF—to coerce control population.
The skeptics of population control have their own illusions that they do not want to break. Although no sane person would deny that the burgeoning population is causing natural resources to diminish, they argue that natural resources are plentiful. Similarly, more population is adding to poverty, conflicts, unemployment, water shortage, high living costs, starvation and famine. But, they argue that more people means more goods and services which are good for a country. They argue that having more people is a plus point for a country as it provides more expertise and human capital, which can be harnessed for the country’s development—and that of the world as well. However, had this been true, the most populous countries in the world would have been the richest ones. But that is not the case. The highest rate of population growth is found in the so-called failed states, where poverty, among other socio-economic indicators, is worst. On the contrary, the Global North, which is less populous than the Global South, is wealthier, more prosperous and more peaceful.
Thus, looking at the ground realities and shunning the mantra that population control is a myth, it is the need of the hour to control the ever-increasing population before it is too late. Poverty, poor quality education or lack of it, child labour, human trafficking, economic and gender inequality, unemployment, environmental problems, etc all can be controlled and managed only by controlling population.
To cap it all, overpopulation, indeed, is an existential threat to the healthy survival on this planet. However, its catastrophic effects can only be mitigated through vigilant practices and proper policies. Better policies and greater investment in health and education can help the so-called youth bulge to be a bonanza for the country. Otherwise, it may become burden on the national exchequer and even a threat to the national security. However, in the current scenario, one can only hope that the latter never happens.
—The writer is currently serving as a lecturer in KP government.
Email: [email protected]
views expressed are writer’s own.
