And Nobody Was Left. Why Does the World Need Children?

A demographic catastrophe is unfolding before our eyes. It began in certain developed countries and is rapidly spreading across the globe. The number of children being born is so low that humanity cannot reproduce itself. Leading British demographer Paul Morland argues that this trend will lead to devastating consequences — a shortage of labor, a pensions crisis, an increasing national debt, and a deficit of ideas and innovations from the youth. Developed countries may temporarily mitigate the worst consequences through immigration, but many countries, including those from which migrants come, will age before they become wealthy. Based on statistical data, the author describes our bleak future, explains its causes, and suggests ways to rectify the situation. If we do not radically change our attitude towards parenting and do not embrace the values of childbearing (pronatalism), Morland asserts, planet Earth will soon become uninhabitable.