For decades Americans have been warned of an impending population explosion that would perhaps threaten our very existence. The Population Bomb, published in 1968, by Professor Paul R. Ehrlich, warned of approaching mass starvation due to overpopulation.
What is overpopulation? Where did this theory come from? Is it factual? Why does it matter when it comes to the sanctity of life and Personhood?
Our children have long been taught that not only that a growing population is bad for the environment and society, but also that our planet cannot sustain future population growth. The media further propagates the teaching.
Surprisingly, the idea of overpopulation was first introduced by Thomas Malthus in 1798. Simply put he thought that the earth’s resources increased linearly, while people reproduced exponentially. Therefore, the earth would be depleted of its resources causing hardship, poverty, hunger and environmental catastrophes.
Even though there were no facts or data to back up his idea, it quickly spread among the upper classes in Europe and the West producing advocates for fewer children and birth control. This in turn led to Darwinism, eugenics, racism, the environmental movements, and population control, which has extended to abortion, infanticide, and legalized assisted-suicide.
Ironically, experts today find that we are experiencing a worldwide population reduction. In essence, falling birthrates across the globe have led to a future with too few, not too many, human beings.
The 2020 US Census showed that almost 87 percent of the total population lived in cities and urban areas. Overall, more than half of the world’s population lives in cities, many of which are grossly overcrowded. People mistakenly assume that soaring birthrates are the primary cause for the growth and overcrowding.
Demographic analysis reveals, however, that birth rates have declined by as much as 50% over the last 50 years. In fact, most developed countries of the world are now showing below replacement fertility levels. (Replacement rate fertility in the absence of major wars, epidemics, or famine is 2.1 children per woman.)
Since the early 1970s, the world’s fertility rate (the total number of children the average woman will bear in her lifetime) has decreased from 6 to 2.9. The United Nations Population Development Division projects that the world fertility rate will drop to 2.05 children per woman by 2050, less than the replacement rate.
The economic and social effects of the population decline are already apparent in much of Europe. It is estimated that there are more than 59 countries around the world that are experiencing below replacement fertility.
The United States may actually lead the way in declining birthrates. Recent information shows the U.S. birthrate at less than 1.7 today, down from 3.7 children in 1957.
Legalized abortion, no doubt, has also had a profound effect on the number of children born worldwide. Legalized abortion and declining birth rates have combined for what some have termed “catastrophic consequences.” A documentary entitled The Demographic Winter: The Decline of the Human Family details the combination as “one of the most ominous events of modern history.”
After the legalization of abortion in America in 1973, 6.5 million fewer school-aged children forced the closing of 9,000 elementary schools by 1980. Children that would have grown up, worked, paid taxes and otherwise spent and invested were eradicated.
Today’s women having fewer children means fewer parents tomorrow. Fewer parents tomorrow mean still fewer children and on it goes. The economic effects of abortion will be magnified more and more in the coming years.
And what about when fewer and fewer children (secondary to legalized abortion and a declining birth rate) become the working adults who must carry the financial and tax burden needed to support a growing elderly population?
It appears that we are destined to find out.
We rarely hear about children creating social and economic benefits like growing up to be consumers, workers, innovators, and taxpayers. On the other hand, we hear endlessly about the economic liability of raising a child. Often, there appears to be a prejudice against babies and children.
The money hungry abortion industry depends on the public blindly accepting the assumption that children are an economic drain.
Perhaps the prolife movement would get more attention by arguing the economic impact of abortion. Possibly then, children would be seen as the gifts that they are rather than an economic liability.
As always God’s Word shows us the way. Genesis 1:28a in the NKJ says, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and REPLINISH the earth, and subdue it. The idea of overpopulation is a deception concocted by sinful men to demean the Personhood of children specifically, and people in general. When we follow God’s way and practice His principles, we don’t find ourselves in these dire predicaments.
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” Ps. 127:3-5
Indeed. Those that see children as a gift from God are more likely to have more children. Shouldn’t this make us exceedingly glad?
Sources: http://www.esp.org/books/malthus/population/malthus.pdf; https://population.un.org/wpp/Graphs/DemographicProfiles/Line/900; https://www.pop.org/overpopulation-myth/; https://ourworldindata.org/urbanization; https://www.statista.com/statistics/269967/urbanization-in-the-united-states/; https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/birthrates-declining-globally-why-matters/; https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-01-birth-lows-kids-americans-held.html; https://www.amazon.com/Demographic-Winter-decline-human-family/dp/B001CGD1P2; https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/2022/6/the-economic-cost-of-abortion
Adapted from an earlier article by Suzanne Ward