The end of economic growth? : Unintended consequences of a declining population

Author / Creator

Jones, Charles I. (Charles Irving) author

Available as

Online

Summary

In many models, economic growth is driven by people discovering new ideas. These models typically assume either a constant or a growing population. However, in high income countries today, fertilit...

In many models, economic growth is driven by people discovering new ideas. These models typically assume either a constant or a growing population. However, in high income countries today, fertility is already below its replacement rate: women are having fewer than two children on average. It is a distinct possibility -- highlighted in the recent book, "Empty Planet" -- that global population will decline rather than stabilize in the long run. What happens to economic growth when population growth turns negative?

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