“Overpopulation” is a buzz word often used by environmental [1] and abortion [2] activists. Some liberals warn [3] that practices like abortion, euthanasia, and population control like China’s “one-child policy” are needed to keep the earth from becoming overpopulated. Some have even linked overpopulation to a lack of jobs. Well Business Insider [4] has shown these theories are unfounded and reported July 25 that China’s one-child policy has harmed its economy.
“China's one-child policy has contributed to a demographic structure in which the working-age population isn't growing fast enough [5] to sufficiently support economic growth. Companies are struggling to fill positions, and the ones that can find candidates have to pay up because of worker shortages.”
China’s family planning policy, put in place after Mao’s death in 1979, has harmed its economy in more ways than one. Besides there not being enough young adult workers in the population, it has also caused problems with family businesses [6] having suitable or experienced successors to take over the company.
Even The New York Times ran an op-ed on the harsh and unnecessary one-child policy.
The editorial noted that demographic experts have placed China’s population birthrate at close to 1.2, and economists have warned “of China’s impending demographic disaster [7]: a rapidly aging nation that a dwindling work force will be unable to support.”
Overpopulation doesn’t seem to be the problem; it’s socially liberal causes like abortions and sterilization that harm economies.