If big populations create wealth, then the world’s most populous countries, China and India, would be the richest, not among the poorest.
Many low-population countries, such as Norway and Switzerland, are very wealthy.
Ireland, with only four million people, has overtaken Britain’s 60 million in GDP per capita. By far the smallest member of the European Union, Luxembourg, is also by far the wealthiest.
Once, countries needed large populations for military strength in a hostile world: large numbers of people meant large armies. Women in Victorian Britain were urged to lie back and think of England so that they could help sustain an overstretched empire. Women in the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany were urged to have babies to promote the power of their country. But with kill-by-satellite, large armies don’t matter; with international peace treaties, being small no longer means being vulnerable.
Political leaders still like large populations because it enhances their prestige, and their negotiating power. Nowhere is this better seen than on a local level-for example, Quebec is promoting population growth as a form of demographic warfare against Anglophone Canada. Leaders of Midwestern US states with falling populations want to reverse the trend so they can become more important on the national stage.
The same is true on the international level. Canada has an explicit program of rapid population growth so that it can hold its own against its domineering neighbor. Australian leaders want more citizens so they can hold their own against the vast populations of India, China, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Read the full article here.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
They want immigrants to contribute towards upping GDP Growth, so that their high pay packet could be sustained or increased.
They want immigrants/new citizens to increase so that their percentage vote during GE could make up for the shortfall of true blue citizens’ rejection of their Party.
Why still try the noble high ground to legitimate the need to open foreigner floodgate again.
So, who is this govt kidding?
The workforce dwindles and human capital is lessened while demands on healthcare increased. It is very real and also one of thecreasons for China’s push and rapid modernization before it’s population ages.
The contents of this article does not provide convincing reasons for one not to be concerned. Likewise, the importation of foreign talent without increased attention to improve the skills and competiveness of the locals miss the point. Efforts are made now for education but more may need to be done given the unquie characteristics of Singapore.
The general statements of the leaders don’t help, nor do their refusal to re-examine the policies which is already showing signs of cracks. Except for 2010, the last few years have seen productivity in decline and is also the subject of Wikileaks and discussions in 2009. The Devil in declining productivity have not disappeared.
I do not have the numbers but it does appear that the money spent on betting on star researchers and portfolio investments is substantial without attendant benefits to the people in terms of improved skills or employment.
Thus I am afraid of the decline in population but more scared if the Elites principal reason to address this is through importation.
THE BLOODY INFRASTRUCTURE WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS POPULATION SIZE.
Nobody is afraid of declining population, its only the hypocrites in white that they fear fewer people means lesser votes for them to stay in power.
We note they had never denied the idea of more people means more votes for them.
Clear seems to be murky.
Murky seems to be clear.
Simply false allegation.
Population growth is fine but why is PAP targetting India and China as the 2 main sources? What quality assurance checks are there to prevent garbage from flooding in?
—Malthus T.R. 1798. An essay on the principle of population.
In the grand scheme of things, MM Lee is correct. We are still a young nation of 46 years. We don’t have a real culture or identity. Inviting immigrants & creating a more cosmopolitan society is a good way of doing tha
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the way you talk is not liked you know what talkin you
^WE^ don’t hav aq culture simply because leekingyou forbade us to hav a culture
and we need foreigners to teach us the art of cultures? what the FART did you go to uni for? just to meet fellow nerds and gays liked steven kho perhaps?
The propagada machine is going strong. Radio chinese station yesterday invited some foreign borned experts to dish Singaporean thinking about this topic, and new chinese TV drama is going to do the same, and we can laugh over it.
Mo have woken up.
Brain juice ran out.
Monei lost bankorupt.
Hums have grown big and juicy wealthier.
Hums in management positions.
Hums in untouchables.
Hums with info that generates unimaginable wealth legally.
Hums in the net more than the fallen out of the net.