Government policy and fertility regulation: unintended consequences and perverse effects
Faria, V.E.
Brazilian Journal of Population Studies 1: 179-205
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 1415-0158 PMID: 12321510 Document Number: 276969
Since some argue that the recent and marked fertility decline experienced in Brazil is related to institutional changes resulting from public policies promoted by the federal government since 1964, the author attempts to shed light upon the role played by such policies upon fertility regulation. Fertility in Brazil and the main explanatory theories are first discussed. The paper then considers the role played by the growth of the consumer society, social security coverage, mass media, and the medicalization of society upon changing patterns of fertility regulation in Brazil. The discussion of government policies and fertility regulation includes consideration of consumer credit policy, social security benefit policy, telecommunications policy, and health care policy. One salient conclusion of the analysis is that the lack of a policy to provide fertility regulation mechanisms other than through the marketplace hurts relatively poor populations.