Some conclusions on world population growth, part 2
I’ve arrived at the end of the second month of Daily Monthly, and already I’m beginning to notice a pattern: Topics that seem relatively straightforward, which I thought I understood at at least a basic level, turn out to be quite complex, and don’t offer any easy answers.
Would the global ecosystem be better off if [...]
Some conclusions on world population growth, Part 1
I started this month’s discussion of world population growth with an image:
Look! Population is increasing and CO2 emissions are increasing! They must be related. And to a certain extent, they are. In the US, our carbon output on a per-capita basis has remained steady since about 1970. The reason our total carbon output has increased [...]
The potential for global prosperity
One question that’s always intrigued me is whether global prosperity is possible. Does capitalism inevitably require that some people will be the “haves” and others the “have nots”? Does my prosperity in America depend on the fact that low-paid workers in China are making cheap computers and TVs for me?
It could be that the global [...]
What is the impact of strict population control?
We’ve discussed some of the problems with increasing population, particularly in poorer countries. But what do attempts to deal with those problems look like?
China has implemented a notorious “one-child” policy since 1979 — over thirty years. While most people agree that this policy is a serious violation of human rights, the example of China is [...]
Really? Can we just populate our way out of recession?
I’ve been searching Twitter for “population” and “economics” this month and came across this article on LifeSiteNews.com. The contention: Low population growth is responsible for the current recession. Here’s a snippet:
“With the decline in births, there are fewer young people that productively enter the working world,” Tedeschi explained. At the same time, he said, “there [...]
What’s “crowded”?
Here in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, I get annoyed when the four-lane expressway into Charlotte gets clogged up. Sometimes it takes 40 minutes to drive the 23 miles into town. Sometimes I’m even bothered when I drive to the neighboring town of Cornelius (population, 15,000), and I have to wait two light-cycles to make a [...]
Population optimism: A global eco-techno-utopia
Last summer, my wife Greta and I spent a glorious week with old friends in a lovely home on the Maine coast, immersed in wilderness and beautiful isolation:
That’s Greta and our friend Suzanne waving from the deck. Isn’t it just wonderful?
Yet a home like that is completely out of reach for the vast majority of [...]
Booming world population doesn’t mean growth everywhere
Population changes don’t affect all nations equally at once. While population in some countries is increasing rapidly, in others it’s slowing or even declining. Take a look at the case of Japan and Nigeria:
Nigeria
Japan
1950
2005
1950
2005
Population (Millions)
32.8
131.5
83.6
127.7
Lifetime births per woman
6.9
5.9
2.8
1.3
Annual births (Millions)
1.7
5.6
2.1
1.1
Annual deaths (Millions)
1.0
2.5
0.8
1.0
Population under age 15 (percent)
42
44
35
14
Currently Nigeria and Japan have nearly equal populations, but in [...]
What does it mean to be “overpopulated”?
Population increases when the birthrate exceeds the death rate, and decreases when the reverse occurs. So what does the world look like when there are too many people?
One way to approach this question is to consider what the limiting factors in population are. When, exactly, does the death rate exceed the birthrate? A key consideration [...]
How can we predict world population growth?
Predicting the future is always difficult. Who could have known in the year 1775 that 100 years from then, ships and trains powered by coal would allow people to circle the earth in weeks rather than years? Who could have predicted that in another 100 years, the human voice—and moving images—would be able travel that [...]
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The Daily Monthly is Dave Munger's multi-layered exploration of ideas and issues affecting all of us today.
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