The Beeb ran this story this morning about declining birth rates in developing countries.
It has long been the case that birth rates in developed countries have been below "replacement" levels. The decrease was attributed to higher levels of education for women, better and more accessible birth control, more women going back to work.
But the way this story was presented, it sounds as though an alarm is being sounded. As though it is important that we keep the earth's population at nearly 7 billion.
In 1965, the population was about five billion and President Johnson declared that he would "seek new ways to use our knowledge to help deal with the explosion in world population and the growing scarcity of world resources."
Now, I understand that the problem of a birth rate below the replacement rate means that resources are strained by an aging population who don't work but consume more resources than a similar population of children.
But the number of people we have now isn't really sustainable.
So, what's the answer? Really?
It has long been the case that birth rates in developed countries have been below "replacement" levels. The decrease was attributed to higher levels of education for women, better and more accessible birth control, more women going back to work.
But the way this story was presented, it sounds as though an alarm is being sounded. As though it is important that we keep the earth's population at nearly 7 billion.
In 1965, the population was about five billion and President Johnson declared that he would "seek new ways to use our knowledge to help deal with the explosion in world population and the growing scarcity of world resources."
Now, I understand that the problem of a birth rate below the replacement rate means that resources are strained by an aging population who don't work but consume more resources than a similar population of children.
But the number of people we have now isn't really sustainable.
So, what's the answer? Really?
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junglemonkee- Saruwatari Ayumi
- Quintana Books
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And in the meantime, they contribute less to the economy of the region in which they reside because these people are more likely both to save the money they earn and to send it back overseas to their families. While this is great for the world economy, it's a drain on the local economy.
It would be a little better to rework export/import laws and tariffs, because this would allow more people to make a good living in their own country of origin, while allowing the products of their labor to be sold anywhere without restriction.
And, while we're restructing world finance, telling the World Bank to take a flying leap would be good, too.
So by the way, thanks for helping my contributing some smart kids to the world.