Causes and consequences of demographic processes and changes in contemporary society

Abstract

For the functioning and development of society the great significance
have demographic processes and changes (natural population growth,
fertility, birth rate, mortality rate, aging of population, changes in regard
to marriage, the frequency of celibacy, divorce). This paper analyzes
the causes and consequences of these processes and changes in
contemporary society. The trends of demographic changes are not the
same in all societies in the world. In developed societies today can be
observed, with minor differences, the same demographic trends - low
and/or negative natural population growth, the rapid aging of population,
low mortality rates, increasing of the divorces and the like. On
the other hand, in underdeveloped societies are born many children,
where weak economic conditions are conducive to a deterioration in
the material, social and health status of the population (illness and
mortality, particularly of women and children). This clearly indicates
that demographic processes and changes are not directly influenced
by economic and social factors (the level of education, the development
of society in general, etc.), but that there are a number of indirect
social factors causing it (national, class, political, cultural, religious
and other). In response to the unfavorable demographic trends
(population size, the age of the population, etc.) and the consequences
which population factor creates in many economic and social areas
(reduction of the working population, the burden of social security
funds, etc.), in the past two decades in the most countries population
policy was placed in the area of population fertility - there were introduced
the pro-natalist measures in developed countries and measures
to discourage procreation in underdeveloped countries.