I tried to do some quick research on this, and all of the rhetoric was very grow the economy focused. I didn't find any compelling arguments on why population decline would be an issue. Any reading you recommend?
I saw that there was a lot of estimates and concerns like half a century out, but is half a century out even considered "sudden"? Like the number of people we have right now is very arbitrary right? So why is it so important we maintain it?
all of the rhetoric was very grow the economy focused.
yes like I said I almost never see communists talk about this, either they hand wave it off and say immigration will solve it (when fertility rates will drop below replacement everywhere eventually) or that it only matters under capitalism it's ok if the economy shrinks. so I don't know if I've ever seen anyone on the left try to grapple with it
the biggest concern I have is for the elderly population, as the population of younger people in proportion to older people (who also keep living longer and longer in most countries) shrinks, it gets harder and harder to care for them, both in healthcare but also just them being able to take care of themselves. Nursing homes are already overcrowded and understaffed and rife with abuse, and while in large part it's just capitalism, it will also pop up under socialism if the proportion gets out of control. https://www.ncsl.org/health/comprehensive-policy-approaches-to-support-the-aging-population here's an article talking about it in the context of the US
I'm also concerned that the population could drop faster than we automate, leading to severe actual labor shortages causing shortages in essential goods. This is something that I am more concerned about in the case of the transition to socialism coming after all the fertility rates have already dropped around the world.
Ultimately a lot of this probably won't matter if climate change kills us all in 50 years so then again thinking about it probably won't end up mattering anyways 🤷
Yeah that makes sense. But yeah it definitely does feel a little cart before the horse though in regards to all of the impending doom scenarios we have actively unfolding lol
I tried to do some quick research on this, and all of the rhetoric was very grow the economy focused. I didn't find any compelling arguments on why population decline would be an issue. Any reading you recommend?
I saw that there was a lot of estimates and concerns like half a century out, but is half a century out even considered "sudden"? Like the number of people we have right now is very arbitrary right? So why is it so important we maintain it?
yes like I said I almost never see communists talk about this, either they hand wave it off and say immigration will solve it (when fertility rates will drop below replacement everywhere eventually) or that it only matters under capitalism it's ok if the economy shrinks. so I don't know if I've ever seen anyone on the left try to grapple with it
the biggest concern I have is for the elderly population, as the population of younger people in proportion to older people (who also keep living longer and longer in most countries) shrinks, it gets harder and harder to care for them, both in healthcare but also just them being able to take care of themselves. Nursing homes are already overcrowded and understaffed and rife with abuse, and while in large part it's just capitalism, it will also pop up under socialism if the proportion gets out of control. https://www.ncsl.org/health/comprehensive-policy-approaches-to-support-the-aging-population here's an article talking about it in the context of the US
I'm also concerned that the population could drop faster than we automate, leading to severe actual labor shortages causing shortages in essential goods. This is something that I am more concerned about in the case of the transition to socialism coming after all the fertility rates have already dropped around the world.
Ultimately a lot of this probably won't matter if climate change kills us all in 50 years so then again thinking about it probably won't end up mattering anyways 🤷
Yeah that makes sense. But yeah it definitely does feel a little cart before the horse though in regards to all of the impending doom scenarios we have actively unfolding lol