Is There a Genuine Right to have Children - Term Paper Example

? Is There a Genuine Right to have Children? Introduction The existence of human beings depends on the natural right and biological abilities of the parents. The natural process of reproduction is obviously the part of the living organisms on which human beings try to adopt controls for the safety of economic stability. Since the life of one individual is directly influenced by the society he belongs to, many socio-economic and political features of his demographic circle have significant influence on the extent of his rights to decide the number of children. If desired level of clarity is directly given to this debate, one can easily suggest that mankind is not an endangered species and so it can be doubtlessly a subject of surveillance of different nations to decide birth control for preventing a population explosion. This paper is a critical evaluation of the human’s natural right to have children as a comparative debate on different socio-economic and political scenarios of different countries. Genuineness of Right to Have Children This question is, perhaps, the most personal one for most people. Having a child is the most basic reason behind legitimate relationships between male and female by form of marriage in all the demographic groups. It is a subject under the religious and cultural jurisdiction of the mankind. Many societies, even if it is a part of an overpopulated country, have a greater speculation on the outcome of a marriage and they think it is the most basic success signal of an adult’s life. According to some suggestions, “associated with the right to marry is the right to have children, if one chooses, without arbitrary governmental interference.” (Keetley &Pettergrew 212). Since the term ‘marriage’ is a closer associate of religious and cultural fashions of people, the need for respecting the expectations about marriage becomes a responsibility of the couple. In such a scenario, the need for relating this very question to the social and religious norms of civilized communities across the world is of prime importance. An exploration into the argument to support birth control policies and individual rights to decide the number of children should travel through the studies of different countries and cultural groups besides the influence of many ethical and religious factors facing the human life. Moreover, the entire world today is focusing on the reservations on unprepared pregnancies by adopting medical and spiritual measures to curb the problem of unwanted births for the safety of dignity of even the unborn children from being thrown to desperate living conditions owing to the present day social conditions. Social implications of birth rate rise According to Duane, from the political point of view, the standardization of the population of a country by limiting the birth rate is meant for its economic sustainability and the retained capability to provide educational and employment opportunities to its citizens. There are evidences of some developments in the field of classified breeding for a better generation in countries like America. If scientific approach to quality control of human community is an option for some countries, strict regulations on limiting the birth rate is a choice for countries like China, whose single child policy is a strong example of the government’s intervention in the individual choice of having children. However, there are drastic effects on the social balance when certain governments implement such policies. Situations in some countries worsen in the spiritual and social prospects along with the increasingly biased approach of parents towards girl children. Most people prefer a choice of male children for their assumed financial and social security concerns to girls by indirectly causing a dip in the sex ratio. From a humanistic perspective, it is the right endorsed to every individual to have the natural right to reproduce. All the developments in the world today are the result of such passages of generations. Moreover, it is the expectations for a new generation that modulates the need for changes in lifestyles and stability of economic independence among human beings. This argument supports the fact that the right to have children is proportionate to the ability of the parents to negotiate with the capability to support it through different stages of growth until the child becomes a capable adult. Even in developed countries, the lack of strict birth control norms adds to the worry of the respective governments to support the children born to financially insecure parents. Spiritual factors supported by certain beliefs in religious views may stand against the policy of abortion, however, the incapability of such parents cannot be considered as a reason for the negligence of their children’s support. Under such situations, the government will be compelled to introduce financial support to such children right from their birth to their social settlement. As Jencks points out, in order to substantiate the efforts meant for social balance based on economic security of a country, its government needs to set up measures to create awareness to the unmarried individuals and promote policies for the rehabilitation of the needy children. Also, the governments have to focus on the increasing trend of divorces forced by unstable job options and earning conditions of male parents which results in the concurrent lack of child support even among the people of developed economies. This scenario is a byproduct of the spiritual belief of having a child as the right of every married couple irrespective of their financial standards. It is needless to say at this point that the choice of a child should be made only after the parents are financially secured and mentally prepared to maintain the family with proper dignity for the offspring. Harnessing the right to be a mother is considered as an offense against the natural right of a woman in general. The practice of different communities to force birth control has always affected the female parents. References reveal that “involuntary physical interventions such as forced contraception, sterilization, or abortion were practiced in twentieth-century eugenic movements” (Brake & Millum). If you consider the moral side of such an argument that women have the right to decide upon giving birth, such activities should be considered cruel and inhuman. However, the identification of majority of issues resulting in early teen parenthood among girls is largely related to the lack of parental support and financial instabilities at their families. Directly speaking, the unprivileged young people can contribute to social problems by form of moral and physical derailment in the absence of parental care. In such situations, it is the government that is responsible for preventing such problems. Personal Choices versus Government Policies While considering the need for a reputed population with all essential amenities of life and socio-economic safety, the argument in favor of government policies to control population hails more credit. The study on how this argument differs from the personal choice of having children takes us through the actual facts that human kind has to survive on the limited supply of resources against the increasing requirements of growing population. It is a point to be focused that the population of a country has to be proportionate to the available land area and the fitness of the geographical specifications to be adopted for habitation. In such a case, the regulations policies of Chinese government to implement strict birth control practices such as single child norm and related aspects has to be considered essential. Economically powerful countries such as Australia, Canada and America have very less density of population when compared to China and India (‘World Population Control..’). As a result of the globalization policies and liberated trade options between different countries, the practice of immigration and resettlement is a common option among the people to find their secured lifestyle patterns. If it is to be considered that effective use of population is the greatest asset of a country, there must be essential factors to ensure it. Otherwise, the lack of employment opportunities among the young generation will term them as a burden on the national economy. Besides, the threat of the under privileged young generation falling prey to frustration-based moral corruption can affect the society very badly too. Different studies like that of Harry also highlight the fact that certain developing countries have adopted official programs and approached foreign aids to control birth rates with a view to regulate their economic stability. They are on the argument that the existing systems of medical, educational and employment sectors can be beneficially managed only if the population comes under control. From this angle, it is necessary for the governments of such countries to think beyond the socio-ethical and religious prospects against birth control techniques. Conclusion The right to reproduce and grow children is doubtlessly genuine among human beings. However, the socio-economic and political implications of a growing ratio of childbirth in different countries recommends for a government control over the fixation of the number of children. Thus it becomes significant to rely on the argument that programs such as family planning and birth control policies adopted by the governments of different countries are essential to maintain the sustainability of resources meant for the wellbeing of the people. As a final say, it should be concluded that there is need for regulations on personal choices of having children in consideration with the social and political conditions of each demographic unit. Therefore, the entire argument on the genuineness of parenthood is subject to belong to the overall observations of the government. Works Cited Brake, Elizabeth and Millum, Joseph, "Parenthood and Procreation", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), web March 2013 http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2012/entries/parenthood/ Duane, B. “Is there an unlimited right to have children?” Healthgather. Aug 23, 2007. Web 30 March 2013 http://health.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977094871 Harry M. Raulet. Family Planning and Population Control in Developing Countries. Demography. 7 (2) (May, 1970): 211-234. Jencks, Christopher. “Do Poor Women Have a Right to Bear Children?” Nov 19, 2001. Web 30 March 2013 http://prospect.org/article/do-poor-women-have-right-bear-children Keetley, Dawn and Pettegrew, J. Public Women, Public Words: Vol. 3. UK: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005. Print. “World Population Control — U.S. Strategy and UN Policy Program”. Fathers for life. Web 30 March 2013 http://fathersforlife.org/health/population_control.htm Read More