ABSTRACT
In the twentieth century, population issues, particularly those pertaining to the growth of the global human population, were internationalised, politicised and securitised. Over the course of the twentieth century population evolved from its long standing demographic conception, to a broader, holistic one that encompasses, amongst other things, development, environmental, human rights and security concerns. Ancient Chinese, Middle Eastern and Greek discourses on optimal population size such as Plato's theory on overpopulation and war are foundational to contemporary population conceptions. State reluctance meant that the nascent population control agenda was largely driven by non-governmental actors, whose international influence was growing as a result of domestic support and the growing rift in the League's anti-birth control consensus. The developing states' demand for assistance shifted the international population debate to the political. The Bucharest conference consolidated the developments outlined above and affirmed population as an international political issue.
