One-child family trend for quality life in UK

Birth rates are falling across Europe, including Britain where it has declined from 2.4 children per woman to 1.9 over the recent 10 years. At the same time there is an outcry against immigration from anywhere in the world. Even within Europe immigration from eastern European countries like Poland, Romania and Bulgaria to more prosperous parts of the continent is causing generating lot of controversy. In Britain immigration has once again become a political hot potato. Earlier from 1960s onwards the chorus was against immigration from Asian, African and other Commonwealth countries on the un-stated grounds of colour. But since the turn of this century even white people from poorer parts of Europe are not so welcome, or rather decidedly unwelcome. In fact Britain’s membership of European Union is almost on knife edge on this issue. Unless Britain is allowed to bend the fundamental EU principle of the free movement (immigration) of people within EU, Britain could well be out of the Union. An additional EU demand of 2.1 million euro as contribution has made matters more difficult. Britain’s population rose from 52.4 million in 1960 to 64.1 million in 2013 -- about 20,000 only per year over 53 years in spite of all the Afro-Asian incomers. But the last ten years have seen an inflow of nearly one million – one lakh per year -- from EU member states like Poland and Romania! White or black immigration at the current rate of inflow is unaffordable, has fuelled the growing chorus of opposition. The mismatch between quality of life and number of people in the country is the core of the problem. And it is not only the growth in population from outside which is a matter of concern. For almost half the people, especially among the aspiring middle classes, even the internal addition to the family is a cause for concern and action. “Forty-seven percent of couples have decided to become a one-child family, according a recent survey by the Guardian newspaper and Netmums website. The number of single-child families across all social classes has outstripped other family groupings over the past decade, with average British woman now having 1.9 children instead of 2.4. In 2013 47 per cent of families -- or 3.6 million – had just one child , compared with 42 per cent in 2003.” More than a third of families with one child said they would love to have more children but life is too expensive. Most of the families taking part in the survey are fairly well off by any standard – generally having two cars, with all mod cons in a well furnished house. Yet they feel they can’t afford a second child. “We want to offer our son the best possible start in life by giving him access to trips, living in a nice house, in a nice neighbourhood, , with outstanding schools,” said a woman school teacher who with her company director husband together have an annual income of 80,000 pounds (Rs.6.6 lakh a month). Rising expectations and the desire to give your child the best are a natural urge everywhere. So is the urge to step up in the prosperity race. Catching up with the Joneses or joining the middle class is not easy. The increasing cost of joining the middle class and enjoying better family life is behind the falling birth rate, says the newspaper report quoting Dr Jonathan Cave, a demographics expert from Warwick University. “If you want to go along with those expectations of what a middle-class quality of life is nowadays, then you can probably afford one child. But if you have more than one child, you can expect to struggle.” Europe is fast learning the benefits of small family norm. Even highly religious Catholic countries like Italy, Spain and Ireland have achieved fertility rates of 1.4, 1.48 and 2.01 respectively, according to CIA world fact book. The struggle is much harder in countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The Indian fertility rate is still around 2.58 even after more than 60 years of family planning programmes as a major objective of central and state health ministries. Even Bangladesh after liberation is doing better at 2.55 , though Pakistan is still at an unaffordable high of 3.5. Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka have equally discouraging fertility rates of 2.4, 2.13 and 2.17 respectively China has achieved a fertility rate of 1.55, though with draconian methods of forced abortions and jail terms. There are hints of recent relaxation of the policy but with heavy fines. Countries like India need not go the Chinese way but could have done much better with the easier availability of contraceptives like the pill and contraceptives over the last 30 or forty years. The implementation of family planning programmes has been far too lackadaisical. Other measures like strict observance of minimum marriage age of 18 have been less than half hearted. Higher minimum age for government jobs could have set a healthier trend. Some of the religious traditions have also been too much in the way. Pandits, mullahs and padres have not been cooperative in India, though Bangladesh has made some progress in winning over the religious leaders in the right direction. Other measures like the two-child family requirement as eligibility norm election to village panchayat posts have also suffered from half hearted implementation. Girls education has been the story of neglect or at least too slow progress. The school dropout rate among girls is far too high to inspire any confidence. With current attitudes of political and religious leaders, India’s target of stabilisation of population or achieving a fertility rate of 1.9 per woman looks nowhere in sight – not even by 2060, more than 110 years after independence. ..................................................................................................................................................................