Accepting population decline is defeatist
15 September 2023
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In the Media
Economics
Tax and Fiscal Policy
19 November 2024
Matthew Lesh writes for CapX
IEA Director of Public Policy and Communications Matthew Lesh has written for CapX on why accepting a declining population as a good thing is a twisted form of Malthusian logic.
Matthew wrote:
“Britain’s lack of investment is taken as given – rather than a policy choice of successive governments. Miles is effectively playing with a new form of Malthusian logic, that is to assume the economy resembles a fixed structure, rather than something that can be expanded.
“The great human advancements of recent centuries have come from the ability of large populations to specialise, and identify and nurture exceptional talent. A smaller population practically means we are less likely to identify the next Einstein or have someone like Elon Musk who is able to build a company on the way to make us a multiplanetary species.
“It’s small-minded to conclude that the UK should forgo population growth because we cannot invest enough. It would just mean capitulating to the forces of managed decline, higher taxes on fewer workers, crumbling public services, and a less dynamic society. The anti-growth coalition must be rejected.”
You can read the full article here.
Matthew wrote:
“Britain’s lack of investment is taken as given – rather than a policy choice of successive governments. Miles is effectively playing with a new form of Malthusian logic, that is to assume the economy resembles a fixed structure, rather than something that can be expanded.
“The great human advancements of recent centuries have come from the ability of large populations to specialise, and identify and nurture exceptional talent. A smaller population practically means we are less likely to identify the next Einstein or have someone like Elon Musk who is able to build a company on the way to make us a multiplanetary species.
“It’s small-minded to conclude that the UK should forgo population growth because we cannot invest enough. It would just mean capitulating to the forces of managed decline, higher taxes on fewer workers, crumbling public services, and a less dynamic society. The anti-growth coalition must be rejected.”
You can read the full article here.
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