DOES DEMOGRAPHIC ENTRAPMENT CHALLENGE THE 2-CHILD PARADIGM

Local demographic entrapment has been discussed informally for many ye ars, but is taboo to the UN agencies and to much of academia. There ar e also indications that the world as a whole may be demographically tr apped in that global per capita grain production is falling. Arguments for and against recognizing entrapment are discussed. Policy implicat ions of entrapment are outlined in the light of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The case for a one-c hild world is argued. Carrying capacity, disentrapment, the two-child paradigm, abortion, Rwanda and North/South tensions are considered.