prior to the advent of contraceptive technology, populations reproduced at similar rates irrespective of their social or economic position. however, after this preventative development, the affluent classes experienced a sudden decline in sexual reproduction. darwin argues this demographical shift has a dysgenical influence on natural selection.  attempting to justify malthusian contradictions, darwin repudiates economic prosperity as the sole solution for populational expansion. the citizens of developing nations only gradually embrace reproductive sterility. by the time impoverished nations attain industrial prosperity, population enlargement will increase the demands of resource allocation and agricultural production. darwin argues that economic progress will never keep pace with populational growth. he considers western civilization as a notable exception, largely resulting from scientific advancement.  in retrospect, darwins fallacious argument has since been proven incorrect. as formerly destitute nations amassed material advantage, their reproductive statistics correspondingly declined. in the case of china, birth rates have fallen well below its populational replacement. drawing from history, darwin briefly considers the infanticidal methods of populational control. he believes moral and emotional prohibitions will hinder acceptance of ritual infanticide. such practices typically occur when communal survival overrides familial compassion. however, darwin underestimates the level of dehumanization afforded through mans scientific technique. in the case of abortion, its clinical setting and operational procedure eliminates the essence of our parental attachment.
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