Abstract
Governmental regulations on permissible number of births raise profound ethical questions. Undoubtedly, they are a form of interference in individuals’ and families’ freedom of choice. Having a baby is an intimate, private affair but, at the same time, it is also a process of great relevance to society as a whole. This dual character is one of the key reasons why debates on this subject are so explosive and emotionally charged. The ethical questions are serious and intractable. Is it acceptable for a government to influence how many children its citizens have, for instance, by offering incentives? Or is freedom of choice always of greater value than the positive effects hoped for future generations? Does this in itself mean that birth policies can never be ethically legitimate? Are reproductive decisions an individual right to such an extent that the individual may reach a decision while completely disregarding other factors? If not, to what degree may the family, clan, government or even world community intervene?
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Tremmel, J. (2008). An Ethical Assessment of the Legitimacy of Anti-natalistic Birth Policies. In: Tremmel, J. (eds) Demographic Change and Intergenerational Justice. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-77084-8_8
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