Population policies in Argentina: 1870-1989. A government viewpoint

"The purposes of this paper are to analyze the Argentine legislation between 1870 and 1989 that has directly or indirectly affected the dynamics and structure of population, as well as to reveal the ideology of population policies supported by hegemonic social forces. This analysis takes into consideration the different development strategies that have been implemented. Our study explores the way in which the different governments have approached the issue of population, and, more specifically, it analyzes the relation between public policies, population policies, development strategies, and political processes represented in State laws." (SUMMARY IN ENG)     

Population: malady or symptom?

The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) opened the dawn of a new era in discourse over population. A newfound consensus was reached between North and South which was not there during the two previous world population conferences in Bucharest and Mexico. While consensus was reached at the 1994 ICPD on the need for action, however, debate over population is far from settled. Causes of population growth, the links between population growth and economic development, and environmental degradation remain controversial topics. The authors analyze the basis of the ICPD consensus at the local, national, and global levels. They also compare the development discourse to the political discourse over population. Both discourses emphasize different aspects of a far more complex reality. The question is which discourse to choose as a basis for drawing policy recommendations. The emerging view on the way to Cairo was that consensus would be achieved on the basis of development discourse. Success on the action plan rests upon the belief that more contraceptives, more health services, and more schools will be enough to reduce fertility rates. The political discourse, however, is better than the development discourse as a basis for policy making because it stresses the need for integration rather than running the risk of exclusion. The political discourse is also more demanding.