• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

What if human fertility rates plummeted?

DifferentDrummr said:
Eventually, if the population continued to decline, there would be no real government left, I agree. In the OP I was thinking more about what the government might do in the early stages, when people first noticed the situation.

A related topic to think about: the human species has a naturally high birth rate and a high death rate, compared to many other animals. That's how it stayed in balance with its ecosystem through most of history. That changed when modern medicine arrived a few centuries ago. The birth rate stayed about the same, but the death rate went way down. Of course, the population exploded.

If the birth rate suddenly dropped, and people lost access to modern medicine, that would be a serious one-two punch to the human species.
Click to expand...

Governments and religions will get their pocketbooks hurt first. Lots of jobs lost in governments. Then the domino effect will kick in.
 
Removable Mind said:
Governments and religions will get their pocketbooks hurt first. Lots of jobs lost in governments. Then the domino effect will kick in.
Click to expand...

Not sure that's where the biggest job hits would be in the beginning. Any job that required the workers to be relatively young and in good physical shape would be the first to go.
 
So far the reason for lower birth rates has been by choice.

By choosing to wait till one one is in their 30s or 40s it is harder to get pregnant.

Younger people are still quite fertile if they wish to have children , they can still get pregnant within the year without a problem.
 
DifferentDrummr said:
Not sure that's where the biggest job hits would be in the beginning. Any job that required the workers to be relatively young and in good physical shape would be the first to go.
Click to expand...

I suspect that the sharing of labor would adjust to pure necessity, regardless of age.

This topic reminds me of the movie, “Children of Men”. The story line is:

When infertility threatens mankind with extinction and the last child born has perished, a disillusioned bureaucrat becomes the unlikely champion in the fight for the survival of Earth's population; He must face down his own demons and protect the planet's last remaining hope from danger.
Click to expand...

The world was obviously in chaos and adapting to the situation was messy and unorganized populations in various locations. But in the movie it seemed some areas were fairing better than others. But one thing was so familiar in this movie. The main struggles were between the “haves” and those of lesser means and material possessions.
 
The rates DO fall once a country becomes developed. Not drastically, but enough to pare us down over time.
 
minnie616 said:
My thoughts about population plummeting would be ....will we have drinkable water accessible? What about electric power or an alternative and will good medical care and medications be readility available.
Click to expand...

Electricity, yes - with solar panels. Drinkable water, we'd have to boil it but I know Canada has tons of fresh water. Medical care and medications would be a huge problem.
 
minnie616 said:
So far the reason for lower birth rates has been by choice.

By choosing to wait till one one is in their 30s or 40s it is harder to get pregnant.

Younger people are still quite fertile if they wish to have children , they can still get pregnant within the year without a problem.
Click to expand...

Currently, that's true. And I don't really expect it to change any time soon.

Remember that this thread is just a hypothetical situation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom