Family Planning Programs in the Third World By RONALD FREEDMAN

at Michigan he founded the Population Studies Center. His career has involved teaching, research, and consultation about fertility and family planning in both developed and less developed countries, including Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Malaysia. He is past president of the Population Association of America. ABSTRACT: Most of the population of less developed countries (LDCs) now lives in countries with national family planning programs to reduce fertility and improve family welfare. Such programs are a new phenomenon. In some LDCs increasing birth-control practice and fertility declines occurred along with considerable social and economic development, but even there rapid changes among the disadvantaged masses are generally associated with strong family planning programs. Fertility has also fallen in some countries with only some development but with vigorous family planning programs. China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are such cases. In such places as sub-Saharan Africa and