The answer
is not easy. Figure 1 show that there is a positive correlation between the
total growth in population since 1950 and the total GDP growth (data borrowed
from the Total Economic Database run by the Conference Board). The countries
with rapidly growing population get higher GDP growth rate. However, when the
GDP is replaced with the GDP per capita in Figure 2, the growth in population
seems to be a negative factor for personal prosperity. The U.S. does not
demonstrate any superiority over any European country except Switzerland.
However, we have to take into account that the level of GDP per capita in 1950
was almost the highest in the US and Switzerland.
Figure 1.
The total growth in population since 1950 vs. the total growth in real GDP
Figure 2.
The total growth in population since 1950 vs. the total growth in real GDP per
capita.
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