The Demographic Transition Theory

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The Demographic Theory can be defined as the transition from high birth and death rate rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops from a pre-industrial to an industrial economic. The demographic transition theory was created by American demographer Warren Thomas (1887-1973), after noticing the changes in birth and death rates in society as it became industrialized over a 200 year period. He realized that developed countries controlled their fertility rate much better than that of developing countries. This essay will try to accomplish; the different stages of the Demographic Transition Theory (DTT), the Caribbean transition theory. Then more closely so at the Jamaica’s Demographic Transition Theory and identify what stage of the theory we are presently at. The first stage of the(DTT) shows where both the death and births rates were high. The was so because of the era. This was during the 19th centry where not much technology was invented to care for the needs of individuals and the society wasn’t well educated about healthy procedures. In that time they lacked family planning so persons had no way of controling their fertility rates even if the pregnancy was unwanted they had no way to stop it. They also rarely any medication and lacked health care to treat diseaes which resulted in an high mortality rate which affected the population growth. In the early 19th centry people were also very strict about their religion and cultural practises. In most religions a child is seen as a gift of God so they would have children which were said to be blessings. This era also did not see the importance of hygiene and how it also contributed to maintaining a healty lifestyle. In the second stage of (DTT), the birth rate was still high but the mortality rates fell. This resulted from the impoved technology which allowed individuals to live
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