I came across this in Slate's Human Nature colum today:
A birth dearth is forcing Singapore to promote sex. The birth rate there is 30 percent below what's needed to replace the population. One big reason: Economic pressure makes Singaporeans work so hard, they have no time or energy for sex. The government warns that if births don't increase, the country will need more immigrants. So, it's promoting sex therapy, loosening its control of porn, and offering benefits to working moms. Optimistic liberal view: Nature 1, Repression 0. Pessimistic liberal view: Capitalism 1, Nature 0. Cynical liberal view: Xenophobia 1, Prudery 0. (For Human Nature's take on birth control and "girth control," click here. For the shift from sex to cybersex, click here.)
Japan hasn't gone to the same lengths as Singapore...yet, but I think these reasons apply to Japan as wel. However, there are some big differences, for example, they haven't offered benefits to working moms. And I think the female workforce in Japan is underused and that will have to change in the future. I also think that they will eventually have to open the country to immigration cancelling out the "xenophobia factor." I also agree with the "pessimistic liberal view"-why does the coutnry have to grow economically-can't it just become more effeicient?
Yes, surely in this age of over-population and global warming we could actually do with a few less people. As you say Pat, what we all want is more wealth per person, not just more wealth overall. There has to be a point when countries have too many people, so that the real standard of living actually drops, despite what the GDP suggests. I would have thought Japan was in this position, and that a falling population could only benefit the country in the long run. Even Australian politicians are half heartedly making this point, just because of the aging population. If you follow this logic you have to maintain a population growth equal to or higher than that of the 'baby boom' period, and how long do we think that will be sustainable!?
Incidentally, I saw 'An Inconvenient Truth' just last night - powerful stuff. It'll make a greeny of me yet.
Posted by: Edward | December 05, 2006 at 10:53 AM