zlacker

>>anigbr+(OP)
>> It’s a natural process for people from areas experiencing population growth to move to other places experiencing decline

This strategy works as long as there are more places (by volume) experiencing growth than decline. Since the trend is slower growth overall, there will be a point where global growth stops, and clearly then the strategy will start to fail.

Frankly, from a planet point of view I'd hope that point comes sooner than later.

This will play out in obvious ways (lifting retirement age etc) but ultimately the quality of life will increase overall until some sort of stable population number emerges.

>>bruce5+wj
Lifting retirement age will happen at the same time as increasing the quality of life? Wouldn't the retirement age only need to be increased if there's a problem? And wouldn't there being a problem mean quality of life has a problem?

Also, look at cities that have had a decreasing population, such as Detroit. They don't look so good.

>>Thorre+ok
In Detroit I think unemployment rose (and quality of life declined) before the population started to shrink - the order of the cause and effect are important!

OTOH in countries with decreasing overall populations due to birth rate and not lack of economic opportunity (emmigration), it might be possible to sustain high employment rates, low crime, and good quality of life. (There might be more need to fund social services, however, if the population is also aging).