為臺灣現行人口政策辯護：對操控、生態主義及不公平的回覆

In Defence of Taiwan’s Current Population Policy: A Reply to Manipulation, Ecology and Unfairness

本文旨在為臺灣現行提升生育率的人口政策提供辯護。在人口政策倫理的討論中普遍認為，過多的世界人口會消耗更多的自然資源、排放更多的溫室氣體，從而加劇氣候變遷帶來的負面影響，諸如人道危機和生態衝擊。因此，臺灣現行提升生育率的人口政策需要提供相應的論證來強化該政策的規範性基礎。本文依序檢視並答覆三個質疑臺灣提升生育率之人口政策的主要異議：政策強制性的疑慮、生態主義，以及生養成本分配不公的問題。關於臺灣現行提升生育率的人口政策是否涉及操控的疑慮上，我論證該項政策並不涉及操控；在生態主義的疑慮上，我指出該項政策不必然悖於溫和生態主義，因為臺灣現行人口政策的生育率目標是合理且符合溫和生態主義的要求；最後在生養成本分配不公的問題上，我說明了為何該項政策並無不公平的問題，並且指出我們有許多堅實的理由去支持生產及養育成本的公共化。據此，藉由回覆三個質疑臺灣提升生育率之人口政策的主要異議，本文強化臺灣現行人口政策的規範性基礎，為其提供辯護。

This paper aims to defend Taiwan’s current pro-natalist policies. In ethical debates surrounding population policies, it is commonly believed that global overpopulation leads to greater resource consumption and higher greenhouse gas emissions, thereby exacerbating the negative impacts of climate change, such as humanitarian crises and ecological disruptions. Therefore, Taiwan’s pro-natalist policies require robust justifications to strengthen their normative foundation. This paper then examines and responds to three major objections to Taiwan’s pro-natalist policies: concerns over coercion, ecological arguments, and issues of distributive justice regarding the costs of childbearing and rearing. First, while some express concerns that current policies may impose coercion and infringement on individual autonomy, I argue that this is not the case. Second, in response to ecological objections, I contend that the policies are not inherently incompatible with moderate ecological ethics, as the fertility goals set by Taiwan’s population policies are reasonable and align with the principles of moderate ecological sustainability. Finally, regarding the issue of unfair distribution of childbearing and rearing costs, I explain why these policies do not entail injustice while highlighting the solid reasons to support the public sharing of such costs. By addressing these three objections, this paper strengthens the normative foundation of Taiwan’s current pro-natalist policies and provides a robust defense of their implementation.