ABSTRACT
The population control programs of the past half century, born in the dark fear of "the unchecked growth in human numbers," have been a quiet but profound disaster for the poor and marginalized half of humanity. The idea of controlling human fertility "for the good of the state and its people," as Beijing is fond of saying, is a 20th-century anachronism. The Human Rights Commission of the Mexican government in 2003 condemned the Ministry of Health's practice of sterilizing or contraception women immediately after childbirth. The chapter begins to address the real population crisis: Cascading birth rates around the world. Economies stagnate for lack of workers and consumers, while pension plans hemorrhage red ink. Europe and Japan's anemic growth rates may be harbingers of far worse things to come. Many European countries have long had policies and programs in place that are intended to raise the birth rate. This chapter enacts pro-natal programs.
