Optimum population

Democracy 1 & 2 Democracy 2
1

You should consider including an optimum population statistic or situation into the game. It will tie in well with any wellbeing simulations.

http://www.optimumpopulation.org/

2

Population is one of those issues no one wants to talk about in politics, but its one of those issues that affects so many other issues and policies. Economists continually tell us population growth leads to economic growth, I know because in the first year economics unit I did at university, my university lecturer told us it was beneficial, and so people accept it as being true, without thinking of the long-term consequences. Yet if you look at the population of the top 10 wealthiest nations in the world, this is what you find:

                                                                              1. Luxembourg - 491,000
                                                                              2. Norway - 4.8m
                                                                              3. Singapore - 4.8m
                                                                              4. USA - 306m
                                                                              5. Ireland - 4.5m
                                                                              6. Switzerland - 7.7m
                                                                              7. Austria - 8.3m
                                                                              8. Netherlands - 16m
                                                                              9. Iceland - 319,000  
                                                                             10. Sweden - 9.1m

Economists seem to have missed the obvious - the aim of the game in economic growth should be to grow the pie, not the number of mouths it is feeding.

3

Yeah, India is growing way too fast, most of which is in the slums… The two do not always go hand in hand.

4

If you included an ecological footprint and carrying capacity simulation into the game you would be able to logically include a homeownership statistic, and by doing so highlight the fact that environmentalists are not left wingers but unattached conservatives.

5

I’m not very adept at making new situations (yet), but how’s this for an idea:

Influenced by the happiness of the Parents group as well as directly by Child Benefit and the hidden Winning statistic, you could get the Baby Boom situation: “Your parent-friendly policies have led to a surge in birth rates. While the parents aren’t complaining, environmentalists point out the environmental impact of an already overpopulated world and capitalists are worried about the extreme rise of welfare program costs as this generation grows older.” The effects would be unhappy capitalists and environmentalists, as well as an increase in membership of the Parent group and a small increase to Poverty.

Also, sorry for bringing up an old thread.