Promote population growth

Why was there a need to promote population growth?
- Declining birth rate from the 1980s.
- Unattractive to multinational companies
- Ageing population
- Defence


DECLINING BIRTH RATE FROM THE 1980s.

-1980's, the fertility rate hit 1.82 children per woman.
-Showed that family planning policy to reduce birthrate was successful.
-Increase costs of living and marrying at later age led to the declining birth rates.
-More jobs were created in the industries,
therefore it needed a larger workforce to sustain the nation's development.
-The number of babies born were falling below the replacement value.
-There's a need to re-examine population policy,
as there may be potential problems a small population would pose.


UNATTRACTIVE TO MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES.
-With a small population Singapore would not produce enough talented people to sustain its development.
-Multinational corporations would find it difficult and more expensive to recruit Singaporeans,
as compared to the larger labour market in China.
-Singapore would be less attractive because of its smaller consumer market.


AGEING POPULATION.

-Fewer babies born each year means fewer young population.
-Number of older people proportionately larger,
leading to a ageing population.
-More resources needed to take care of the increasing number of senior citizens.
-Leading to an ageing population


DEFENCE

-Declining birthrate means fewer men to recruit for NS.
This will mean Singapore's Defence Force will be weaken.