Global Population Implosion

The New American
Nov 12 2004

“For decades, much has been written about the world’s exploding
population,” noted an October 7 Christian Science Monitor report.
“But 60 countries, about a third of all nations, have fertility rates
today below 2.1 children per woman, the number necessary to maintain
a stable population. Half of those nations have levels of 1.5 or
less. In Armenia, Italy, South Korea, and Japan, average fertility
levels are now close to one child per woman. Barring unforeseen change,
at least 43 of those nations will have smaller populations in 2050
than they do today.”

“This baby dearth has potentially weighty economic consequences for
governments worried about everything from economic vitality to funding
future pension programs and healthcare,” continues the Monitor. “That’s
why many of them have been taking measures designed to encourage their
citizens to multiply.” France is offering mothers a birth subsidy of
800 euros per baby; Italy offers mothers of second children a bonus
of 1,000 euros.

South Korea has been offering tax incentives for families with young
children. Japanese prefectures (roughly the equivalent of state
governments) have been organizing hiking trips, cruises, and other
singles events with an avidity that would make the stereotypical
Yenta proud. In Japan, notes the paper, singles “are often called
‘parasites’ because, when they retire, they have no children paying
into the national pension system or helping out otherwise.”

Such efforts to address the birth dearth, like previous efforts to
combat the “population explosion,” illustrate that most governments
continue to regard children as a social resource to be managed by
the state.