In Germany, the government pays people the equivalent of $35,000 to stay at home with their babies for a year. In Australia they get $1,000 per child. But population still isn’t growing, because most women don’t want to stay home, and it is enormously expensive to raise a child.
As part of its ongoing series exploring the world’s population hitting 7 billion, NPR, via its Planet Money team, ran a story today about some parts of the world – the more economically and technically advanced parts – where population growth has all but stopped. This brings up all sorts of questions for the future of these countries.
You can read or listen to the story here. Then head over to our Facebook page and tell us what you think about population growth and what governments can and should do about it. Or just tell us what you think fair family policy looks like.
