Demography
Demography is a scientific study of dynamics as well as characteristics of a given human population. The characteristics that take emphasis in this study include size, density, growth rate, composition, fundamental statistics, as well as the distribution of the population in question. It is a study that takes into consideration information that may be gathered through population census or analysis of information from vital statistical records. Demography as well involves the study of the trend through which the particular population changes considering births, deaths as well as migration as vital aspects that influence population stability or change. In study the population’s composition basic demographic features of the population, age, sex, family and household status, ethnicity, religion, language, education, occupation, income and wealth, are used (Wattenberg, 2004).
Respect to demography, the distribution of the population can be defined at multiple levels, local, regional, national, global, as well as with different boundaries’, political, economic, or geographic. Demography can be divided into the formal demography which is objected to the study of measurements of the population processes. On the other hand there is the broader social demography population study which is objected to the analysis of the relationships between economic, social, cultural as well as biological processes influencing the given population. Based on this characteristic, demography can be applied in a wide array of general science fields while it can as well be applied in any kind of dynamic population.
Importance of demography in understanding political changes
Politics is understood as the process through which a collective entity of people makes decisions collectively. Politics consists of societal associations involving authority while referring to the ruling of public affairs with a political unit. Politics as well takes into account the methods as well as tactics used in the formulation and application of policies. In this regard, politics is an aspect that involves the social aspect of any population. On this basis, the broader field of social demography population study can be applied in political matters that appertain to the given population. Political changes on the other hand are influenced by changes in social, economic, cultural as well as biological aspects of a given population (Wattenberg, 2004). Based on this, demography is deemed important in understanding political changes owing to its analysis of the relationship that exists between the economic, social, cultural and biological aspects of a given population.
The relationship between economic, social and cultural aspect of a given population are vital in influencing the satisfaction that population has with the authority. Biological changes on the other hand are more apparent in generational changes which influence generational political changes. As such, demography is used in understanding political changes by detailing the possible factors that influence the change. Such include generational changes which influence a political change in preference of the new generation while the relationship between the biological, social, cultural and economic aspects influence the satisfaction held with the authority. The underlying argument is that demography is importance in understanding political change by detailing possible factor that influence the change (Wattenberg, 2004).
Demographic changes that have occurred in U.S
Characteristics of the United States population have considerably changed in both numerical and percentage terms. This has been deemed as a reflection of a demographic complexity that is unprecedented in the nation’s history. The considerable changes include an increase in the number of ethnic and racial minorities which currently stands at thirty-one percent. On the other hand the number of foreign born members with the nation’s population has as well increased to eleven percent. Of the foreign born population, those from Latin America are dominant making up 51.7 percent while 26.4 percent are from Asia. The change in the demography of United States can best be understood in the sense that the current population is composed of a large percentage of children as well as young adults who are not of European ancestry. This is a percentage of the population that neither speaks a Germanic language nor a Slavic language as their first language (Shrestha, 2006).
Respect to race and ethnicity, the demography of America has changed in the sense that the ratio of people with color to whites has increased to 1 out of every 3. These changes have greatly occurred in the latter half of the 20th century (Shrestha, 2006). The number of multiracial individuals within the American population has as well increased making up about 3 percent of the population. The unprecedented international migration rates of the Latin American society and the Pacific Islands societies, as well as their high birth rate are factors that have influenced the increased presence of the foreign proportion with the national population. The underlying point of emphasis is the fact that United States demography has significantly changed with an increase in the number of the foreign born population.
Their political consequences
The increased proportion of the foreign born population within the American national population has a significant consequent in the national politics. The increase in this population impacts the political status quo by influencing the participation of this population within the national political realm. This impact influences political change in the sense that it advocates for an authority that satisfies the interests of the foreign born population. This changes the preference for an authority with a European ancestry to an authority the represents the foreign born population to best represent their interest. The point of emphasis in this is the fact that the change in demography influences a political change that is aimed at catering for the interests of changing demography. This is based on the fact that the change in demography involves the creation of a different demographic composition where the changing factor seeks authoritative representation that impacting change in the political realm (Shrestha, 2006).
Their public policy consequences
Public policy as an act by the government is a principled guide to actions of the administrative branch of the state. It is the end result of policies though in the United States it is broadly used in decision making as well as analysis of governmental decisions. It involves the interplay of several individuals as well as interest groups that compete or collaboratively seek to influence policy makers to act in specified ways. As such, it is as well influenced by changes in the demography in the sense that the increased foreign born population as well has interests that are presented in this forum. This has the implication that the foreign born population will express its views respect to decision making while playing as an interest group in analysis governmental decision. This impact public policy by including the views and interests of the foreign born population which changes the outlook that public policy had without this inclusion (Shrestha, 2006).
Works cited
Wattenberg, Ben. How the New Demography of Depopulation Will Shape Our Future. Chicago: R. Dee. 2004.
Shrestha, Laura. The Changing Demographic Profile of the United States. CRS Report for Congress. 2006.
