At 09:48 on 09-13-96, you wrote to JOHN HARTLEY,
and I replied:
GD>A big problem with any sort of manipulation of population 
GD>is the social context.  The greater the "safety net" 
GD>provisions in society (esp. for the aged), and the higher 
GD>the survival rate of children, the less *need* to have 
GD>lots of children.  At the other end of the "persuasion 
GD>scale", the greater the cost of education, the greater 
GD>the actual *incentive* to have fewer children.  
then at 18:17 on 09-30-96, you wrote to me (presumably 
about that paragraph rather than another one I've deleted):
AH>That's an interesting way to put it.  If what you say is accurate,
AH>and I ha
AH>have on reason to doubt you, this could be an approach that could
AH>circumvent alot of busy work for those ready to accept what is
AH>developing worldwide without threatening their economic or religious
AH>orientation.  Talk about somemore.  Personally, I like the way you
AH>express your ideas.
G'day Andrew, 
First up, could I suggest an off-line mail reader? 
Not only do they reduce the likelihood of your running 
out of connect time on the BBS, but they also allow you 
to quote parts of the message to which you are replying, 
and therefore maintain more continuity in a discussion.  
(This is why I've taken an extra week replying; because 
I wasn't keeping my outbound messages separate, I had to 
look through old mail packets to find my earlier message.)  
Anyway, to the discussion!  8-)
People who are already spun out even at current population 
figures won't gain much short-term comfort from the plateau 
effect which eventually occurs as a society's health and 
education improve; the birth rates usually only drop a 
generation or so after the death rates, so the short-term 
effect is an *increased* rate of growth.  
Countries in much of North America, Australasia, and Europe, 
as well as Japan, have fairly low growth rates because this 
has already occurred, and in NA and A/asia a lot of the 
growth is due to immigration.  In much of the rest of the 
world, the major changes are still happening now (or are only 
just starting).  With the large populations already there, 
watch out for some serious pressure on the environment, and 
for changes in world politics!
later, 
Geoff
X CMPQwk 1.42 123 X
You cannot produce a baby in one month by impregnating nine women.
--- Maximus 3.01
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