Having enough babies

It would seem weird, but for a country to strive to have just enough babies maybe one of the most important policies there is, if we have to dream of a better future.  No wonder the population figure is often seen and quoted as the first statistical information when one starts to describe a nation.  If we look at all other national statistics, particularly that which relates to the economy and development, more often than not each piece of information is related to, or measured against the population.  Most things are almost always treated “per capita.”

And it is no wonder many countries in the world put a premium on their population policies, and the concomitant population management and programs.  The one-child policy of China is seen as a bit harsh, only because it was ordained rather than allowed as a natural consequence of development.  Many other follow this model less implied by a strict law but rather through persuasive policies, but just the same, the general idea is to rein in rapid population growth as a precursor to economic development.

On the other hand, emerging tiger economies in the late 20th century and this, tend to promote the reversal of declining populations, for obvious reasons, and they do this in almost amazing ways such as daggling monetary gifts to have more babies.  All over Europe particularly, both the fertility and population figures are being coaxed to increase, not to the problematic levels of pre-development eras, but to optimum, sustainable levels so to speak.  And it's always a difficult goal to achieve, considering the variety of opinions on the issue.

The difficulty is compounded by the fact that any change in population growth rates do not result in instantaneous changes in the demographic landscape.  People grow and live - the numbers born in a particular year has to pass infancy, childhood, adolescence, maturity, and old age.  Relating to economics, three stages are important - the dependent group from birth to the time they enter the labor force, the productive group, and the dependent group after they leave the labor force.  There are exceptions, of course - out of school youth, person with disabilities, as well as those who work when they should not, but in general, the economy is affected by the ratio of the productive group supporting the dependent groups.

One-year-olds become two-year-olds next year, 15-year-olds become 16-year-olds, and 54-year-olds age to 55-year-olds.  And so the population age-structure changes each year, defined by the fertility rate years and decades ago.  Changing policies now will affect the structure years from now.  There will always be deaths in each age levels at varying probabilities, of course getting higher the older one becomes.  But even deaths at childbirth and the average lifespan change too, because of advances in medicine and technology.  This is how important population policy is - it affects the long-term, and future generations.

Having enough babies does not only mean the numbers but more importantly the timing of having babies.  Obviously, if couples have babies every year, the population growth rate will shoot up, but if they have babies every 2 - 3 years, the growth rate will be flatter, even if fertility will be the same.  This will actually allow parents to cope with the financial burdens of raising families, while easing up the responsibility of the state, too.  It is strange why age-structures are seldom discussed nowadays, even among development planners and policy makers, especially at the national level, when it has an important contribution to how this economy shapes up as we sail across the years.  Of course other factors like the global economic outlook, interest rates and inflation contribute much, but demographic figures, or more importantly, how these are manage, are controlling elements, too. 

It may not seem important but as we can see, having more, less, or enough, babies, are important to a country and its people.  In the end, it will define what we will be in the future, and the kind of lives all of us will have.