Global Population Decline, Economic Growth: Forbes

Global population growth grew at a fast pace throughout the 20th century. While demographes anticipate population the world’s population to expand to 10 billion by the end of this century, the pace has slowed. Bill Conerly for Forbes, writing for Forbes, questions if societies might miss the economic growth and innovation that accompanies swift population growth. He describes research by economist William Nordhaus of Yale, suggesting that about 2 percent of an innovation’s benefits go to the creator and society shares the rest. However, Conerly points out that smart, creative people are born into poverty and other circumstances that limit their potential. “The economic progress of poorer countries, combined with liberalization of social attitudes in many countries, enables more superstars to achieve their potential,” he writes. “That is now helping the world progress.... With economic progress usually comes educational progress.” Women with more education choose to have fewer children and presumably focus more attention on giving those children opportunities. Slowed population growth does not necessarily portend economic decline if societies spread opportunities and reduce inequality. – YaleGlobal