Question

Explain briefly the relationship between poverty and population and how one affects the other.

Answer 1

Most of the rural population which forms the bulk of our society are still illiterate, ignorant and superstitious. They also do not know the functioning of the human reproductive system. Among the people from lower strata of society, children are regarded as a gift of God and a sign of prosperity. Therefore they make no effort to avoid pregnancy. Due to the high infant mortality rate in our country, people from the economically weaker section think it safer to produce more children so that at least some may survive. Poor standards of living and poverty provide no recreation other than sex. Hence, the population keeps on rising and so does poverty. As the population increases the quality of life goes down.