I agree that if the population grows, than GDP should also grow to account for that person. But nothing about our economic system says that the population must

I agree that if the population grows, than GDP should also grow to account for that person. But nothing about our economic system says that the population must grow. Regarding Japan, GDP per capita was basically flat from the late 80s to the early 2010s: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CN?end=2020&locations=JP&start=1980 https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CN?end=2020... Also, people don’t suggest that Papua New Guinea grow the economy for the sake of growth or the sake of the broader economic system. People think Papua New Guinea should grow because the quality of life of the population would be improved. This is not a convincing argument that our economic system is predicated on continuous growth.