Question Some governments dictate how many children a family can have. Alternatively, they may control the number of children someone has through taxes. It is sometimes necessary and right for a government to control the population in this way. Do you agree or disagree? Response In answering this question, we need to look at the reasons why a government would make this decision and contrast this with the rights that the population have in making their own decisions. Many countries have a serious problem with overcrowding and a lack of resources and they need to decide how to overcome these issues. By forcing families to limit the number of children they have, you then take peoples rights away and this can lead to alienation towards the government and outright defiance. Is dictating the size of families the only way to overcome this? Would it be possible, for instance, to increase taxes so that it would make it impossible for large families to afford to live? I strongly believe that people ought to have the right to decide for themselves how many children they have. Why should a family that wants to have many children or one that does not perhaps want any children be dictated to by the government? Traditionally different cultures have varying lifestyles. For instance, Asian people are more likely to have larger, close knit extended families that all support each other. Conversely, Europeans tend to have smaller, insular families that are self-supportive. This should be their decision. However, this decision should be based on the ability to provide a healthy environment that considers their social, moral and particularly their financial situation. Far too often, however, families, particularly in countries where the government will support them with benefits, do not consider all the implications. In conclusion, I think that it is wrong to enforce laws on families as to how many children they have. Some governments dictate how many ch