Executive summary: Low fertility rates, while problematic from a progress perspective, align with the goals of the degrowth movement and may lead to a gradual, managed decline in population and economic growth.
Key points:
The degrowth movement sees low fertility as a necessary adaptation to finite resources, in contrast to the progress perspective which views it as a challenge.
Economic models predict that sub-replacement fertility leads to stagnating living standards and a shrinking population, an outcome close to ideal for degrowthers.
If fertility remains low for too long, even an ideal social planner may be unable to escape the “empty planet” equilibrium.
The gradual nature of fertility decline may not provide a clear warning sign or impetus for change.
Disagreements over the value of fertility are fundamentally linked to differing views on the possibility and desirability of continued progress.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, andcontact us if you have feedback.
Executive summary: Low fertility rates, while problematic from a progress perspective, align with the goals of the degrowth movement and may lead to a gradual, managed decline in population and economic growth.
Key points:
The degrowth movement sees low fertility as a necessary adaptation to finite resources, in contrast to the progress perspective which views it as a challenge.
Economic models predict that sub-replacement fertility leads to stagnating living standards and a shrinking population, an outcome close to ideal for degrowthers.
If fertility remains low for too long, even an ideal social planner may be unable to escape the “empty planet” equilibrium.
The gradual nature of fertility decline may not provide a clear warning sign or impetus for change.
Disagreements over the value of fertility are fundamentally linked to differing views on the possibility and desirability of continued progress.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.