A review of the data collected in the Fourth Population Inquiry among Governments in 1978 revealed that all nations surveyed have major population policies and that many are actively intervening to influence population growth. Of the 158 countries that responded to the inquiry 36 considered that higher rates of natural increase were desirable 98 felt their 1978 levels of life expectancy were unacceptable and 22 felt that their present levels of fertility were too low. Of the 42 developed countries that were surveyed none wanted to further reduce their already low rates of natural increase. Of the 46 countries desiring lower rates of natural increase 16 were within the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). Those 16 countries account for at least 1/2 of the worlds population. The 3 population giants of the ESCAP region China India and Indonesia all desired lower fertility rates and were intervening to reduce them to varying degrees of success. The 3 developed nations of the ESCAP region Australia Japan and New Zealand were not intervening to change their rates of natural increase. The increased activities of population programs of various countries during the 1970s supports the premise that the 1970s saw a major escalation of population policy making and population control on an international level.
