An Argument in favor of Governmental Intervention regarding Population Control

Essay by Shoity2004University, Bachelor'sA, March 2004

download word file, 7 pages 2.0

Overpopulation is exactly what it sounds like, over-population and crowding. It is a growing concern that faces everyone. Between 1991 and 1997, 6,944,591 immigrants poured into the United States. (NPG Facts and Figures, "Us Immigration Levels") Every year, children are being born as well, adding to overpopulation. In 1998, the US infant mortality rate was 7.2 percent of 1,000 live births. This number increased in 1998 to 3,944,046, a 2 percent increase over the previous year. The population of the US grew by 1,605,976 individuals, exclusive of immigration. That's not taking into account the rise in twin births. Data shows a rise between 1996 and 1997 that indicates a 3 percent rise in twins, and a 52 percent increase since 1980. These statistics show more than half the births have increased and each one represents two children. The number of triplet and higher-order births rose 16 percent from 1996 to 1997.

("Birth Rates Up, Overall Death Rates Down") There were an estimated 2,338,070 deaths. The preliminary death rate was 470.8 deaths per 100,000 population, a record. The estimated expectation of life reached a record high of 76.7 years, an increase of 0.2 year from 1997. (US vital statistics...birth rates up, "Birth Rates", "Life and Death Matters") This information tells me that 8,550,567 people inhabited the US after nature had taken its course. As we look towards the end of the decade, this is a large number. This presents a severe deterioration in natural resources, a rise in crime and broadens the gap between wealth and poverty, as well as supply and demand.

As we all may or may not know, each woman is born with a limited number of eggs. Males produce sperm over their lifetime. My suggestion is that the government surgically limits the number of eggs in each...