Daniel Joesok Kvalsvik - Assignment #3: Birth rate and ideology

In this assignment I will examine the validity of the assumption concerning that nations with large Catholic populations would have birth rates which reflect an absence of birth control measures. I will also be examining in regards of nations with no significant population that is prohibited from using artificial birth control measures would have lower birth rates. To do this I will collect statistical data from CIA World Factbook for 6 nations which have a high percentage of Catholic citizens (65% or more) – I have chosen Panama, Philippines, Mexico, Italy, Haiti and Brazil. To examine the second assumption I will collect data of 3 nations which do not have a notable Catholic population (less than 5%) – I have chosen Norway, Barbados and Singapore.

Further on, I will have a look at their birth rates in context with average income and average education level.

COUNTRY	CATHOLIC CITIZENS	BIRTH RATES (OF 1,000 POPULATION)	AVERAGE INCOME (PER CAPITA)	SCHOOL LIFE EXPECTANCY (YEARS)
Panama	85,0 %	18,91	$ 15,900	13
Philippines	82,9 %	24,62	$ 4,500	11
Mexico	82,7 %	18,61	$ 15,600	14
Italy	80,0 %	8,94	$ 30,600	16
Haiti	80,0 %	23,35	$ 1,300	N/A
Brazil	73,6 %	14,97	$ 12,100	14
Norway	1,0 %	10,80	$ 55,900	18
Barbados	4,2 %	12,10	$ 61,400	17
Singapore	4,8 %	7,91	$ 25,800	N/A

Conclusion:

Having a look on catholic citizens and birth rates it is difficult to see an overall trend, but I will say that the percentage of Catholic citizens is not correlated with the birth rate.

Birth rate considered to average income per capita seems to play a greater role than the original assumption. The countries with high income per capita have low birth rate, and the countries with low income per capita have high birth rate. From my point of view, the reason is that people in the countries with low income per capita want to have more children to take care of you since they can be a resource. To summarize, there is a strong correlation between birth rate and average income per capita.

Also birth rate considered to school life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) shows us an overall trend. There is a correlation between this two mentioned variables, but not as strong as the previous context. The overall reason to why there is a correlation is that people with higher educational level “prioritize” the education instead of getting a baby. When you are studying, I think you neither have time or money to get a baby. Seen from a woman perspective, they roughly have to choose between family and education. This explains why we can see at correlation between birth rate and school life expectancy.

All in all, does Catholic prohibition really have an influence on birth control use reflected in a high birth rate? In a small degree – we have now seen other factors playing a greater role in birth rate, such as income and education. The technologically conservative prohibition against birth control among Catholic populations seems not to exist in behavior.