Population Reduction: The Method for Economic Growth?

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Until recently, the term “population growth” has always been regarded in a positive manner; still many people believe that a growing human population results in a growing economy. While many people debate whether a reduction in our total numbers is necessary, others debate what the effects would be. Not only does our population affect the economy, but also our environment, education, quality of life, and everything around us depends on how we react to this growing problem. Our population is growing and we must decide how we will react and what effects our actions will have.
Many researchers and writers have differing views on whether population reduction is necessary, Ozzie Zehner, author of “The Environmental Politics of Population and Overpopulation,” makes valid arguments using his own research into the field. Zehner states that the nonprofit Optimum Population Trust advocates for the reduction of human population to one and two billion people, allowing each inhabitant to live at a high standard of living. Although this claim seems drastic at first, Zehner defends why we need this extreme reduction through research into the effects of a growing population. He claims that our population is like a Ponzi scheme, whereby an increase in the number of children each generation is required to support the older generation, also most growth comes from developing countries. This is an interesting point that he makes because it appears true on the surface, and Ponzi schemes have negative connotations attached to them. Zehner believes that because of this a reduction in our population will not be so simple. He states that even if the global birth rate were to decrease from the current average of 2.6 children per couple to 2.1 children pe...

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...ovement of other non-direct issues. If we do not choose to solve this crisis voluntarily, then nature will do it for us, with a much more extreme and devastating outcome.

Works Cited
Ellis, Erle C. "Overpopulation is Not the Problem." New York Times: n. pag. 13 Sept. 2013. Web. 6 Sept. 2013.
Fougère, Maxime, and Marcel Mèrette. “Population Ageing and Economic Growth in Seven OECD Countires.” Economic Modelling 16.3 (1999). CrossRef. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.
Heinberg, Richard. "The Shrinking Pie: The End of ‘Development’?" Post Carbon Institute. Post Carbon Institute, 28 June 2011. Web. 6 Oct. 2013.
Scrivener, Leslie. "Alan Weisman Asks: Can We Voluntarily Reduce World Population Growth?" TheStar.com: n. pag. 4 Oct. 2013. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.
Zehner, Ozzie. "The Environmental Politics of Population and Overpopulation." Academia.edu. Academia.edu, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2013.

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