A growing population had long been considered a prime determinant of national strength -- at least until the “population bomb” crowd commandeered the dialogue almost a half-century ago and declared such growth to be a threat to human existence. But since then, with globalization’s rapid expansion encompassing the bulk of the developing world -- and specifically demographic behemoths India and China -- we’ve seen industrialization and urbanization work their usual magic on female fertility. As a result, humanity is now projected to top out as a species sometime mid-century and likely decline thereafter.
Read the entire column at World Politics Review.
Find the Kotkin book here.
Monday, July 12, 2010 at 9:04AM 
Reader Comments (1)
Heard Kotkin speak a few years back at the LA TImes Book Fair. Thanks for the tip.