It seems nowadays there is more concern about declining populations and low birth rates, particularly in the more developed countries.
It seems different groups have different worries:
- The left is more worried about funding Social Security and other programs (presumably because there will be less tax revenue);
- The right seems to be more worried about the "great replacement";
- Both sides (as well as other countries such as China) seem to worry about impact on economic growth down the road and loss of national power.
Are these worries warranted? Does it really matter from a Christian perspective if birth rates are low? The population decline is not really a result of "population control" per se which I believe is not Biblical. For example, in the U.S. and in most countries we do not have maximum child limits.
I have thought about this, about why different groups see it as a problem, and whether I should consider it a problem.
We have assumed continual growth for so long that it has become ingrained in everything from planning city layouts to business models. If a McDonald's does this year only as much business as it did last year it is considered a failure. It had better be hitting 5.7% more than last year or it might get a visit from a team of corporate experts to find and fix the problem.
Thing is, the earth we're running all this on is finite. We can't grow everything, every year, forever. Eventually we'll hit some very hard walls.
I think atheists should be overjoyed about current population trends. If you believe there is no god and we don't have another habitable planet to go to, then we're pretty much stuck here on this ball. Our illusion of limitless prosperity is shattered, but for the long term a population decrease makes our existence as a species more sustainable.
It is a bit worrisome for infrastructure. If you build house to fit your wife and all 16 kids, when you're old and the kids are gone that house is going to be more than you can handle on your own. So many of our systems have been built on the assumption of continual, perpetual growth that if our population shrinks they will probably be unsustainable. There will be some belt tightening. Some people who assumed a free or light ride might have to learn how to work the way our fathers worked. And lo, there will be much weeping and wailing.
So do I personally think it's a problem? Still not sure. I know I can't personally DO anything about it though.