Economic Principles

1
Economic Principles Problems of Population
Growth

• Derric B. Jacobs
• ECON539 Public Policy Analysis
• Winter 2008

2
International Policy Questions

• Should The International Community be Concerned
  about global population growth?
• What are the problems and issues associated with
  global population growth?
• What should the international community do about
  global population growth?

3
National Policy Questions

• Should a nation be concerned with rapid
  population growth within and abroad?
• What is the traditional view of population growth
  from an economic position?
• How dose a nation experiencing rapid growth coupe
  and what can they do?

4
Background

• Thomas Malthus
• 1766- 1834
• Demographer and Political Economist
• Essay on Principles of Population (1796).
• Populations would grow past their resources.

5
Jared DiamondCollapse, How Societies Choose to
Fail or Succeed (2006)

• Historical perspectives on social collapses and
  current social conflicts.
• Causations are underlined in population growth
  and interactions with the environment and
  international relations.
• Historical Mayans and Easter Island
• Current Rwanda and Cambodia
• Future China, India, and the U.S.?

6
World Populations and Consumptive Behaviors

• World population is at more than 6.5 Billion and
  doubled between 1959 1999.
• Projection by 2050 is more than 9 Billion.
• Most consumptive nation is the U.S. with China
  and India following.

7
Neo-Classical Economic Perspectives on Population
Growth

• Population growth has a positive relationship
  with economic growth and the maintenance of a
  healthy economy.
• Most prevalent since the 1980s with shifts in
  international policies in addressing population
  growth.

8
The World Bank

• Prior to 1981
• President Robert McNamara
• after thermonuclear war, rapid population
  growth was perhaps the perhaps the greatest
  threat to mankind.
• After his retirement, economist dominated
  institution changed thought and policy toward
  population growth.
• Current trend is in a re-evaluation of population
  growth factors and policy- 2007 publication of
  Population Issues in the 21st Century.

9
The U.S. and Aid

• Currently the U.S. invests in aid at a rate of
  less than 3 which is equal to 1/25,000 of GDP.
• Current ideological trends in the Fed. Government
  are hostile to family planning in both national
  policy and international (Grant, 2000).

10
Population Reference Bureau Study 1975- 2004
(2007)

• Study finds that population growth rates and
  economic growth in GDP are negatively correlated.

11
Problems for the International Community

• Many of the problems associated with population
  growth are not contained within the boarders of a
  select nation.
• Pollution and Waste
• Oceanic Fish Catch
• Infectious Disease
• Conflicts
• Migration

12
Problems for Nations

• Nations compile problems associated with
  population growth from other nations as well as
  their own.
• Conflict
• Freshwater
• Grain production meat production
• Biodiversity Loss
• Energy

• Oceanic Fish Catch
• Infectious Disease
• Loss of cropland Forests
• Housing Urbanization
• Jobs
• Natural resources
• Education Income

13
Migration

• Migration is a reflection of low economic
  development and an individuals seeking for better
  opportunity and livelihood.
• Many less developed nations encourage emigration
  to deal with their own growth.
• Many migrants are the more educated and those
  that can afford to migrate resulting in net loss
  of educated and skilled citizens and resulting in
  a growth in the destination resulting in an
  increase in competition.

14
What Can Nations Do?

• Advanced economic nations can help developing
  nations with technologies and resources which
  include healthcare and health education as well
  as education for skills and employment.
• Developing nations can request for funds and
  resources from the international community.
• Discourage the migration of skilled and educated
  citizens to developed nations

15
Population Reference Bureau (2007)

• Study finds that increased fertility rates and
  education are negatively correlated.

16
Population Reference Bureau

• Study finds that increased fertility rates
  increase the percentage of citizens living in
  poverty.

17
Piecing it Together

• If investment in education for skilled workers
  decreases poverty, and a decrease in poverty
  decreases fertility rates and decreased fertility
  rates increases the likelihood of increases in
  education, and we are right back to where we
  started.

18
Statement by the UN Population, Environment and
Poverty Eradication for Sustainable Developmet
(2002)

• The condition of women and girls, wherever they
  lack a secure base, whether in education,
  information, health, reproductive rights, equity
  and resources are of first concern. Empowering
  women as full partners in sustainable development
  is perhaps the surest strategy to combat poverty
  environmental degradation secure democracy and
  find lasting harmony in the global human
  condition. This must start with providing
  choices, including those of environmental
  protection and family size.

19
Conclusion

• Global and national population growths effect us
  all.
• Without aid from more economically advanced
  nations and the international community, the
  problems associated with population growth will
  continue
• The international and national policies toward
  population growth must be adjusted.
• The most significant changes needed are social
  and political, the need to increase open dialogue
  and further research is pertinent.