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Stop at Two campaigns in the 1960s
Birth and fertility issues holds immense importance to Singapore’s government who, from MM Lee’s time held the view that people are our most valuable resource and thus, a threat to this resource is a crisis. From 1970s to 2007, Singapore’s fertility rate drastically dropped from 3.07 to 1.28. This could be due to the effective birth control policies – ‘Stop at Two’ in the 1960s to early 1970s where citizens are discouraged in numerous ways when they have their 3rd, 4th or subsequent child. Despite the introduction of ‘Have three or more, if you can afford it’ the fertility rate was not significantly raised. Does it mean that Singaporeans already have the mindset that raising children is expensive and having many children threatens the livelihood of the family? It appears to be. The mindset where ‘children have traditionally been a source of pride’ was gone and replaced by one where ‘putting children through school was expensive’ which in fact, is something reflected in both the birth control programs mentioned above (Sernau, 259). And as shown in Cairo, ‘improved contraception, improved education, or an improved standard of living’ is ‘the best route to lowered fertility’ (Sernau, 269) also points out that our current environment is pro-’lowered fertility’. Fortunately, the Singapore government does not reverse such conditions in order to promote birth rates yet, is the government tackling the key mindsets and root causes of this problem?
One way the government solves this is by dangling incentives called ‘Baby Bonus’ introduced in 2001 to attract Singaporeans to procreate. So far, this has not received enthusiastic response from Singaporeans as the fertility rate showed no improvements. However, the newly revised Baby Bonus released this 17th August 2008 promises attractive cash gifts or 4K and cash incentives. This might attract some parents who are worried about the finances of having a child but does it really work on those who think that having children would compromise their current lifestyle? Does it really work considering the coldness such Bonuses have received previously? When I was in secondary school, my girlfriend once told me ‘I don’t want to have children, they are “extras” in my marriage’ which I was shocked to hear but later, in Junior college hear it coming from more of my girlfriends who tells me things like ‘it is narcissistic to have children’ and that ‘Adoption is better as you get a child minus the labour pain and you are saving a life’. Then there are also the career woman that places more emphasis on career advancement rather than motherhood as shown in local drama ‘La Femme’ aired on 2nd June 2008.
Therefore, it is apparent that the government needs more than a re-packaging of the dulled Baby Bonus to solve its baby crisis. The increasingly allowance of expatriates and foreigners into Singapore society as P.Rs might help as STs pointed out the artificial growth of Singapore’s population growth to 5.5% in countering the problem of Singapore’s low birth rate. However, can the government continue to import people to fill in the population and give birth in the place of Singaporeans without actually hitting the issue at its root? Should the government learn from the Icelandic people and remodel its society such that social environment and policies are more family and baby-friendly? Perhaps it is time Singapore’s society learn from our Iceland counterparts where it is possible to be pregnant without worries and be happy.
Reference and Citations
“Population indicators” retrieved from <http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/themes/people/popnindicators.pdf> on 20th October 2008.
“Singapore population control policies” retrieved from <http://www.photius.com/countries/singapore/society/singapore_society_population_control_p~11008.html> retrieved on 20th October 2008.
Sernau, Scott. Global Problems: The Search for Equity, Peace, and Sustainability. Boston: Pearson 2006
“Baby Bonus” retrieved from <http://www.babybonus.gov.sg/bbss/html/index.html> on 20th October 2008.
“Channel 8 La Femme” retrieved from <http://8.mediacorptv.sg/programmesdetail.aspx?iid=MDC080515-0000010#top> on 20th October 2008.
“John Carlin on Why Iceland has the happiest people on Earth” retrieved from <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/18/iceland> on 20th October 2008.
“Singapore Population Boosted by Foreign Influx” retrieved from <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_2008_Oct_6/ai_n30895929> on 20th October 2008.
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