18. Economic Impact of Population Growth

Global Problems of Population Growth (MCDB 150)

1) Population in China: Until recently, Chinese families did not much alter their fertility depending on life events like deaths of children. However, under government prodding and eventually coercion, fertility drops drastically in China in the 1970s, but, to counteract momentum, the One-Child Policy starts in 1979-80. 2) Population Growth and Economic Development: In Asia, rapid fertility drops have preceded economic booms by ~15 years. In this time, children grow up and become workers. With many workers and fewer children to support, savings and investments rise causing the boom. Non-Asian countries with rapid fertility drops, like Ireland, fit this model. Sub-Saharan Africa, with still high fertility, makes little economic progress.

00:00 - Chapter 1. Concluding Facts on Population in China
14:15 - Chapter 2. Urban v. Rural Fertility in China
26:15 - Chapter 3. Economic Globalization and China
34:17 - Chapter 4. Economic Motivations for Fertility
46:52 - Chapter 5. Population Growth and Relationship with GDP
57:05 - Chapter 6. Demographic Dividend

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Spring 2009.