Demography versus democracy

From Channel News Asia.

Demography, not democracy, to shape growth: MM Lee

It's demography, and not democracy, that will be the critical factor shaping growth and security in the 21st century.

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew made this point in an article in the latest issue of Foreign Policy magazine.

In today's world, high rates of births are contributing to the booming populations which are dragging down developing nations. Meanwhile falling birth rates are sapping the growth of developed nations.

Although migration is one option developed countries are looking at to keep their economies vibrant, Minister Mentor Lee said it might not solve all their troubles and might even breed social tensions.

And so governments may not be able to afford to keep out of delicate, personal issues like sex, marriage and procreation much longer.

Singapore itself has been giving out incentives to arrest falling birth rates.

These incentives have seen some success.

The number of citizen births increased by 3 percent from May to July this year compared to the previous year.