The truth of what ails us isn't debt or interest rate suppression or so many other coping mechanisms…the nexus of our "problem" is an economic system premised on growth…but infinite growth in a finite world is a pretty tough trick to pull off. So, it was just a matter of time before something gave out… Global population growth started decelerating from the bottom up in the advanced nations and soon spread across advanced and developing alike and spread from the young up. Interesting to note that the 0-24yr/old population ceased growing across the OECD nations in 1982, the same year the Federal Reserve began what has been a 99.9% decline in the cost of credit and has resulted in spectacular increases in debt…all to maintain demand for a population whose growth is decelerating.
•Japan Peak 0-24yr/old population - 1955, 0-24 population has declined 41% since
•German Peak 0-24yr/old population - 1973, 0-24 population has declined 34% since
•S. Korea Peak 0-24yr/old population - 1981, 0-24 population has declined 37% since
Globally growth among 0-24yr/olds has fallen 80% and all net growth now occurs in Africa…
These are just some of massive declines among these nations and all are estimated to see their 0-24yr/old populations decline by 50%-60% from peak by the time we hit 2050 (and this assumes good economic growth between here and there…if things get rough, those numbers are likely to be far lower). Ultimately, these massive declines are working there way through the entire population…depopulation is well under way from the bottom up.
But China, Brazil, India…they'll save us, right???
•China Peak 0-24yr/old population - 1992, 0-24yr/old population has declined by 26% since (-152 million from peak!!!)
•Brazil Peak 0-24yr/old population - 2006, 0-24yr/old population has declined by 9% since
•India Peak 0-24yr/old population - Est. in 2017…and estimated to fall indefinitely thereafter.
By 2050, China and Brazil estimated to be down over 40% and India at 10% but picking up speed to the downside.
The above explains why central banks have seemingly gone mad…why governments worldwide are throwing dollars or Yen or Yuan or Euro's into the wind. Depopulation is coming from the bottom up and declining demand is inevitable. Unfortunately, central banks actions have retarded the business cycle and free money has created massive overinvestment and overcapacity which is now becoming so apparent in commodities and elsewhere (here).
Will Zero Hedge or Mr. Martenson or any outlet ever acknowledge how simple the issue we face truly is? They are welcome to run this story or you can read about it yourself…(btw, this is a non-profit blog and all proceed benefit Special Olympics).
Of course, the solution is likely also simple but god awful in it's implications…a global bankruptcy where all bad debts (aka, somebody else's assets and future income) are cancelled. Reset and hopefully start with an economic premise which can stand the test of time and not the desires of a few.