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Lucern · 06-08-2005, 07:31 PM

It does raise the question of why human populations with access to the abundant resources of the wealthiest nations do not grow. The same can be asked about the US's population. I've read that our population would be declining if not for immigration. US-born women have a below-replacement (not by a great amount) fertility rate, but 40% of population growth in 2001 was the result of human migration (as far as we can tell). If accurate, this invalidates that article's explanation (which Morge specifically left out anyway).

This would make sense given a less arbitrary explanation than the one used in the article: measures of education levels and wealth. Both are inversely proportional to the number of offspring an individual has. The more educated and wealthy a population is, especially its females, the fewer children it will produce.

Next we have to ask if population decline is really a bad thing (aside from the obvious benefits of a slight dent in overall human population). Population dynamics will shift, and different groups will reciprocally impact eachother, but are there really negative consequences of this? If so, what could be done given the voluntary nature of fertility in these countries?

Edit to add this article about in which ways the US is growing and declining, and why: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...12/ai_n9157094

[ 06-08-2005, 07:33 PM: Message edited by: Lucern ]

06-08-2005, 07:31 PM	#10
Lucern Quintesson Join Date: August 28, 2004 Location: the middle of Michigan Age: 43 Posts: 1,011	It does raise the question of why human populations with access to the abundant resources of the wealthiest nations do not grow. The same can be asked about the US's population. I've read that our population would be declining if not for immigration. US-born women have a below-replacement (not by a great amount) fertility rate, but 40% of population growth in 2001 was the result of human migration (as far as we can tell). If accurate, this invalidates that article's explanation (which Morge specifically left out anyway). This would make sense given a less arbitrary explanation than the one used in the article: measures of education levels and wealth. Both are inversely proportional to the number of offspring an individual has. The more educated and wealthy a population is, especially its females, the fewer children it will produce. Next we have to ask if population decline is really a bad thing (aside from the obvious benefits of a slight dent in overall human population). Population dynamics will shift, and different groups will reciprocally impact eachother, but are there really negative consequences of this? If so, what could be done given the voluntary nature of fertility in these countries? Edit to add this article about in which ways the US is growing and declining, and why: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...12/ai_n9157094 [ 06-08-2005, 07:33 PM: Message edited by: Lucern ]