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A huge issue is the stagnating population growth in European countries. Over the last 10 years Germany, Italy, Spain have only barely risen in population. Of co
by rb808 8y ago
A huge issue is the stagnating population growth in European countries. Over the last 10 years Germany, Italy, Spain have only barely risen in population. Of course that means lots more retirees and fewer workers. Maybe flat economy is actually a good outcome as can be expected.
One of my favorite stats is that 100 years ago the population of Europe was nearly 30% of the world's total. Now its <10% and falling quickly.
Finally Yes I dont think its necessarily a bad thing, but you can't expect strong economic growth will falling working age population.
- sonnyblarney 8y agoMost of this has to do with massive growth elsewhere, not so much failing growth in W. Europe, which is more of a new trend. I don't think the 'warm bodies arms race' is going to end well for anyone, another perspective might be more apt.
- stupidprizes 8y agoI don't think the 'warm bodies arms race' will end well either. What perspective are you considering?
- sonnyblarney 8y agoCurrent growth strategies are all fundamentally 'warm body growth' i.e. the economy is grown mostly through babies or immigration, not any kind of real industrial growth or innovation. If you look at USA growth vs. Western Europe, the USA does better, but not so much if you account for headcount. As Western nations have fewer babies, there's a push for more migration, which in some places can work, not so much in others. Europe has quite a lot of people and there are real physical limits to that growth - surely, it could all be as dense as Hong Kong but at some point, there needs be some consideration. The West should not be trying to compete with Asia by having as many babies as them, surely. If anything, we should maybe be trying to help tackle population explosion in some places, which can be done even with fairly non controversial methods like basic economic prosperity.
- collyw 8y ago> which can be done even with fairly non controversial methods like basic economic prosperity. Where's the money going to come from in a non-controversial way?
- sonnyblarney 8y agoWell it may not come from anywhere. But we still have a long way to go in applying technology and processes to make our lives better. Also, as 5B poor people in the world come online and become consumers, they're going to need a lot of iPhones and eat a lot of KFC etc.
- beerlord 8y agoIts a bad thing when the population of countries at the top of this list are decreasing, and those at the bottom increasing: https://www.natureindex.com/country-outputs/generate/All/global/All/score https://www.natureindex.com/country-outputs/generate/All/glo... The taxes in Europe are too high and Government and Welfare programs need to be scaled way back. The fact that you have for example millions of young foreign men walking on foot all the way through the continent to access welfare-rich States indicates that something is amiss.