License to have children?

[Katsumoto]

As the population of the world rises out of control, I've been thinking, why not introduce some kind of license to have children? If you want to have children, you have to pass a test to ensure you will be a good parent and have necessary skills to take of care of children. Just as as a Driving License, you can take lessons to improve your skill and then do the test. There are various Pro's and Con's to this idea:

Pros:
-Reduced population growth since a licence would be required so less people would have children
-Possible reduced crime rate, since a lot of children copy how their parents behave, so more good parents might mean more better children. This may lead to a better society since "Problem Families" would not have a license to have children, so these "problems" are not passed on and these families are rooted out, leaving only "good" families.

Cons:
-May be immoral and unethical to impose a license on something which is so natural and necessary to life
-Enforcement may be difficult, since if parents without a license have children, what could you do with children? Take them away? Possibly unethical?

Let me know what you guys think, I think it could be a very good idea if done properly, but since it is such a sensitive area it may difficult.

[Imperator Romani]

That might be "against some people's rights", but heck it sounds like a good idea.

[D.B. Cooper]

I've always been for this. There are too many simply stupid parents out there.

[Enemy of the State]

Absolutely impossible to enforce and immoral. Who decides who is a good parent? But it doesn't matter, such a thing will never happen because it's just impossible to enforce in any way.

[Katsumoto]

Absolutely impossible to enforce and immoral. Who decides who is a good parent? But it doesn't matter, such a thing will never happen because it's just impossible to enforce in any way.

What is immoral? Allowing a bad parent to have a child and then abandon/kill them or not allowing them to have a child in the first place? Also, with the advancement of technology, I think it could be possible.

[Enemy of the State]

What is immoral? Allowing a bad parent to have a child and then abandon/kill them or not allowing them to have a child in the first place? Also, with the advancement of technology, I think it could be possible.

No test will ever prove that you're a capable parent. You can't measure it and draw a line between suitable and unsuitable.

This is borderline fascism and a severe violation of liberty.

[Katsumoto]

No test will ever prove that you're a capable parent. You can't measure it and draw a line between suitable and unsuitable.

I think you're misunderstanding, what I was saying is that you can have lessons to become a better parent if you don't have the qualities already. What I'm trying to get at is that better parenting equals a better society, since children copy their parents so if a parent is good then so will their child. Parents which refuse to do lessons etc. will not be allowed babies because they don't want to improve. I fail to see how this is facsism.

[Enemy of the State]

I think you're misunderstanding, what I was saying is that you can have lessons to become a better parent if you don't have the qualities already. What I'm trying to get at is that better parenting equals a better society, since children copy their parents so if a parent is good then so will their child. Parents which refuse to do lessons etc. will not be allowed babies because they don't want to improve. I fail to see how this is facsism.

What criteria does a parent have to meet to be suitable?

Because a lot of them are living in rural places and having more children means more manpower for them. They simply try to have a larger family to gain more power which in turn abuses the freedom of having a child as they get out of it's original purpose.

Rural families have always had more children because they need more manpower. It is traditional. Why is this wrong?

[Phier]

Absolutely impossible to enforce and immoral. Who decides who is a good parent? But it doesn't matter, such a thing will never happen because it's just impossible to enforce in any way.

Impossible to enforce?

Have you heard of a country called China? Big one, known for ping pong and rice, anyways thats not important. What is important is they have been controlling peoples fertility for a generation.

It would be childs play for a authoritarian state to implement a plan where pregnancy was regulated by license, even more so these days with genetic testing, and easy abortions.

Here is how I will do it.

All women of child bearing age will have mandatory 'norplant' style contraceptives. I figure we should have some with years worth of dosing.

All women of child bearing "age", 20-35, will apply for a license to have a child when they feel they are ready or the state feels it needs more young people.

The request will be processed based on genetic screening, and other factors. The more 'desirable' the parents, the more children they will be allowed.

The state will not be evil of course. People will be able to find their own partners, and to aid pre-screening will be done to make finding the best matches easier. All couples will be allowed at least one child, unless they are truely undesireable geneticly.

If a woman were to become pregnant accidentally, an abortion would be performed (to get rid of that unwanted mass of cells) at her manditory 6 month health screening.

If a woman alloted one child is pregnant with twins or more, they will be selectively aborted.

Entirely possible, entirely plausable, things can change rather quickly.

[PointOfViewGun]

It is possible and the most logical way to do this. It can be easily enforced through large fines which in turn the baby would be confiscated to be given to child service. It's much more immoral to make a baby just to satisfy a girls need to play with a small kid then to keep people from making one.

[Phalanx300]

Impossible to implement, can't stop people from having children. And stealing children from their parents is even worse.

[Orko]

I am for it. Bad parents shouldn't have children. I mean, even for dogs you need a license! Why not a baby?

[Barry Goldwater]

No, this is both ridiculous and un-enforceable.

[Desperado †]

I am for it. Bad parents shouldn't have children. I mean, even for dogs you need a license! Why not a baby?

Because dogs are a luxury.

We shouldn't need a license to eat food, we shouldn't need a license to breathe oxygen.

All human beings should have the right to reproduce or to not reproduce based on their own decisions.

[Phalanx300]

I think you'd speak different if they take your child away for whatever reasons, or refuse it to you because you can't walk and thus can't raise a child well for example.

[Enemy of the State]

This could be severely misused, to wipe out minorities for instance. Don't think the government would implement this fairly. There would be corruption.

[PointOfViewGun]

This could be severely misused, to wipe out minorities for instance. Don't think the government would implement this fairly. There would be corruption.

Just like letting people have kids in any quantity they want can be abused. Give it a few centuries and Turkey will be completely Kurd.

[Enemy of the State]

Just like letting people have kids in any quantity they want can be abused. Give it a few centuries and Turkey will be completely Kurd.

How is that abuse? There is nothing to abuse because there isn't anyone controlling who can and who can't have children!

[PointOfViewGun]

How is that abuse? There is nothing to abuse because there isn't anyone controlling who can and who can't have children!

Because a lot of them are living in rural places and having more children means more manpower for them. They simply try to have a larger family to gain more power which in turn abuses the freedom of having a child as they get out of it's original purpose.

[Mr. Pink]

This could be severely misused, to wipe out minorities for instance. Don't think the government would implement this fairly. There would be corruption.

Nail. On. Head.