Birth rates are declining across much of the world to the point that most countries will see their population size fall this century.
We can see attempts to reverse this trend, especially with populist and religion backed political movements, with their leaders calling on the people to do their patriotic duty and breed as if they’re livestock. But it’s arguably that view of the people by the wealthy that is driving the problem.
Who’d want to bring children into the world when they’ve lost hope for their future? Across much of the world, young people in particular are struggling with the cost of living. Throw in concerns about climate change and AI destroying complete career paths, and it’s no wonder the young struggle to feel positive.
Recent research by Gallup shows that young people in the two largest economies feel more negative about job prospects than those over 55 years of age. An odd reversal of the traditional positions and still counter to the global average. Usually it’s the older generations who fear there are few opportunities for them.
In China, several generations did well from the government’s drive to grow the economy, but like any autocratic regime, most wealth was swallowed up by those at the top. And as growth slows and automation grows, the young see a less bright future.
And while the US is a democracy, similar unequal wealth distribution leaves the young feeling equally hopeless. The wealthiest 10% of Americans have hoarded 68.3% of all US wealth, leaving just 2.5% for the poorest 50%. And those wealthy Americans are largely older. Americans under 40 years, the ones most likely to be starting and growing families, share just 6.6% of all American wealth.
Obviously, it’s natural for the wealthy to want their populations to grow as they see people as just another asset. More people to exploit means more wealth for themselves. Russia’s plummeting birthrate was almost certainly the motivation for Putin’s attempted conquest of Ukraine. A quick victory would have given him 40 million more people to profit from. Instead, it shrunk his population even more quickly.
For all the demands of wealthy populist leaders for the people to have more children, their greed in taking ever more wealth from the people for themselves is driving the birthrate decline. They are the problem.
So, could a decline in the birthrate of the wealthy be the best way to increase the overall birthrate?
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