Overpopulation is a factor that cannot be ignored and has a major impact to the society. Overpopulation is the main cause of social problems. Overpopulation always strains the available resources. Many schools are operating with overcrowded classes’ because of the large number of students but less resources to build good schools that can comfortably accommodate the growing population (Ellison & Total Education in the Total Environment, 1971). Many cities and town administrations are overpowered by the wastes generated by the huge population that it lacks the capacity to adequately service. Services such as sanitation, water supply and sewerage services have been drastically affected to the extent that they are now a huge healthy risk. The supply of clean water is limited. Diseases outbreaks like cholera and tuberculosis cannot be effectively managed due to the abnormal ratio of population to the service providers (Green, 2008). I some parts of the country there is simply no enough food to feed the entire population, this has lead to people dying from hunger and malnutrition. The world will get to a situation where it cannot sustain life as we know it.
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In addition to depleting resources, overpopulation increases many environmental problems. Pollution is an environmental problem whose magnitude has been increased by overpopulation. As more people drive cars, throw away more trash, cut down more trees and use more electricity, the environmental problems we are already experiencing are greatly increased. More carbon dioxide is emitted to the atmosphere; there is always a human wildlife conflict as people try to expand residential areas as more forests are cut down. Polluted environment leads to lose of biodiversity as more species of plants and animals become extinct. As industrialize countries become richer more waste is generated hence more pollution (Kunzing & Broecker, 2008).
In overpopulated areas it has been observed that there are more cases of crime as opposed to other areas. This can only be attributed to the fact that there are more jobless people who try to get a living. The fact is that with high unemployment rate there is bound to be a high crime rate owing to the fact that everybody tries fend a living. Another factor is that in overpopulated areas it is so hard to maintain security and social order. It is easier to commit a crime and go unnoticed in overpopulated areas than in less populated areas. Overpopulation has lead to emergency of slums (informal settlements mainly in cities due to lack of adequate housing facilities and/or low income) (Jakab, 2008). As family size increases parents give less time per child, save less for school fees and cannot manage to adequately educate each child due to lack of sufficient funds. The overall effect is a less educated population that lacks sufficient knowledge to make sound decisions. This also leads to a higher rate of juvenile delinquency in the society. Many children become unruly since there is no good parental care and may be exposed to adult content at an early age. This leads to moral decay of the society.
Politically, there is a reduced political power of the individual. As the population increases, each representative represents a wider segment of the population. This gives politicians a loop hole that they take advantage of. This problem was initially addressed by increasing the number of representatives (Ellison & Total Education in the Total Environment, 1971). However, when the number of representatives reaches a large number there is inefficiency. A good example is that in the United States during Lincoln’s time there were 185000 residents in a congressional district. Today there are about 600000 people in each district. Governing an overpopulated country proves to be a giant tasks. In case of civil war many countries find themselves incapable of containing civilians. Malicious politicians use overpopulation to their advantaged. They over-use overpopulation as campaigning strategies. But when elected the same politicians abandon and give a deaf year to the electorate. With the ever growing population we only hope for the best but should prepare for the worst.