Opinions of Latin-American Intellectuals on Population Problems and Birth Control

Abstract

The problem of birth control in Latin America may be divided into two aspects: population control and family planning. Reasons for Latin-American intellectuals' aversion to population control include the rural frontier mystique—the more people the more wealth and power—and the population-as-goad theory—deprivation and suffering beget creative solutions. The most characteristic attitude toward population control, however, is indifference. Either the population problem is a myth created by the imperialists or it is an economic or political problem which will eventually solve itself as industrialization and education result in a lower fertility rate. Underlying these ideas are the fear of governmental control of human life and the fear that the imperialist nations wish to weaken or castrate the underdeveloped countries' populations, especially those of a different color. Of the two schools of opinion on family planning, those in favor of voluntary birth control cite its health, psychological, and economic advantages. Those against family planning allege various harmful social, political, moral, and physical side effects. An analysis of the voting of Latin-American governments on World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations legislation for technical assistance on birth control shows their negative attitude toward it in the past. This attitude is changing very gradually toward the positive as a result of the rapid expansion of population (and abortion figures), reconsideration by the Catholic church of its attitude, rural-urban migration, growing reliance on economic planning, and increased monetary and technical assistance from United States universities and other organizations.—Ed.