Showing results for "Economics of Population" in Money & Finance

A radically revised new edition of this highly readable, popular guide aimed at everyone from students to statesmen who want to make sense of the modern economy and grasp how economic theory works in practice. It starts with the basics, and from the underlying theory it moves to the specifics of the world economy, including an analysis of the recent recession. The closing part puts the usefulness and the failings of economics under the spotlight, and looks at the innovative approaches being developed to address these failings.

While millions face hunger, malnutrition, and starvation, the world's population is increasing by over 225,000 people per day, 80 million per year. In many countries, supplies of food and water are inadequate to support the population, so the world falls deeper and deeper into what economists call the "Malthusian trap". Here, Malthus examines the tendency of human numbers to outstrip their resources, and argues that poverty, disease, and starvation are necessary to keep societies from moving beyond their means of subsistence.

Lucas and Luna examine how aging populations and falling birth rates reshape national economies, labor markets, and fiscal policy. Drawing on real demographic data from Japan, South Korea, Germany, and Italy, they analyze the economic consequences of shrinking workforces: depressed GDP growth, strained pension systems, and altered consumption patterns. Lucas traces Japan's 'lost decades' and its experiment with immigration reform, while Luna challenges common assumptions about automation filling labor gaps, citing sector-specific studies on productivity and elder care. They dissect policy ...