Germany has a shrinking population.

link< br />

BERLIN (Reuters) - Are Germans an endangered species?

Stunning as it may seem, a steep decline in the German population since 1972 and fears the trend will gain pace have led demographers to warn of unsettling consequences.

The number of Germans has declined by 3.2 million -- the population of Berlin -- over the last 30 years but demographers' concerns have mostly been ignored until now in a country scarred by the Nazis' nefarious procreation pressures.

German leaders have now lifted the birth rate to the top of the political agenda for the first time since the Nazi era, and the two ruling parties are trying to outdo each other with pro-family measures.

"Germans are at risk of dying out if the trend continues," said Harald Michel, managing director of the Institute for Applied Demography. He fears the German population could shrink from 75 million to 50 million by 2050 and further after that.

I love the way the author asked the question in the beginning where the author says Germans becoming extinct? I wonder how the Germans feel as their population is shrinking, how would Germans feel about immigrants? Would NeoNazis use this attempt to spread hatred that their "race" is dying?

same thing happening in Massachusetts too.....although its taxes and the cold weather causing people to flee in droves....

A lot of western countries are experiencing negative birthrates. Italy is also, which is suprising given that italians used to have very large families. I think that the US has an increasing birth rate, and a good chunk of that is because immigration is counted as births or whatnot.

So the germans should start making their country more attractive to immigrants.

A country with a negative birth rate is going to have lots of problems, the biggest of which is that there will be a larger and larger proportion of the population that is old as time goes on. This means more pensioners overall, and even worse less people putting money into the pension system. It also means that the young "mobile and innovative' class will be drastically reduced as time goes on, and the country will stagnate. This is what destroyed Sparta, the Spartans refused to accept new families into their homoii class, and it just peetered out. It happened in Rome too, there weren't enough people in certain classes to do the things that needed to be done

The number of germans is decreasing but the population of the country will remain the same due to immigration.

I like the place, worked there for a while, and would certainly consider living there. The problem is getting a job in germany (previously sent there by a UK employer) when all the german I have learned in the last few years is from Rammstein. (i.e. Zwitter). Even as an Engineer I would find it difficult.

Originally posted by deltaboy

I wonder how the Germans feel as their population is shrinking, how would Germans feel about immigrants?

They have millions of immigrants, mostly Turkish immigrants I beleive.
I think they generally get along well but the Turks are taking over some areas and turning them into high crime ghettos.

Perhaps they should try attracting some of the Germanic people of eastern europe to come to Germany. Their economies are pretty bad so they shouldn't have too much trouble getting them to move to Germany.

A few years back, Pope John Paul II told the people of
Europe that they need to have stable families and to
HAVE CHILDREN.

Many folks laughed at him and rolled their eyes.

Pretty soon Europe will see major changes in dynamics.
It WILL be Euro-Islam. Immigration combined with a
decline in birthrate for native Euros will bring major
changes to Europe ... demographics and major life
style changes.

Sorry guys but this stuff is alarmist rubbish and merely shows how things can change in a few decades.

Not that long ago we had a baby boom.

The talk then was of unsustainable birth rates and populations.

Mind you, throw in some simplistic math about immigrants (who we are asked to accept will just magically keep on reproducing at the rate they begin the start of their domicile in the new country........yeah right, show me the immigrant group that ever did that in Europe) and you have a story those stirring the race pot love and those who insist on give nothing much thought will accept as 'the truth'.

Birth rates rise and fall; maybe instead of pursuing economic policies which force both in a couple to work for years on end to merely provide a roof over their heads we might consider measures which make children much more affordable?

germany as i know is the strongest european country in money at the moment with its large percent of production lines its doin pritty darn good
maybe germans are tring to keep money within families recesivly by shortening the kids what ever there doing over there there certainly buying into the euro banks and there production aint going no were but export with porch being the most succesull car company

germany can either push the pop. to have more children or allow a large amount of immigrants into the country. I bet there are alot of eastern europeans who would be happy in germany.

Russia is experiencing a serious decline in thier population, especially since the fall of the Soviet Union. Crime, drugs, and disease have skyrocketed. Its mostly hitting the male population there, women outnumber men there by huge amounts and has been that way since WWII.

Originally posted by radioactive_liquid
Russia is experiencing a serious decline in thier population, especially since the fall of the Soviet Union. Crime, drugs, and disease have skyrocketed. Its mostly hitting the male population there, women outnumber men there by huge amounts and has been that way since WWII.

They also have a huge Brain Drain problem. People are fleeing that country in droves so their population isn't declining due to dropping birth rates(not entirely at least) it's mostly due to reverse immigration.

Originally posted by Alpha Grey
same thing happening in Massachusetts too.....although its taxes and the cold weather causing people to flee in droves....

Its called "Liberalism"

Anywhere in the world when it gets into power...you will see a sharp drop in the population. Take a look a San Francisco, you will notice almost no kids at the parks playing on the jungle-jims, but the dog parks made for pets are all too full.

France is going down the same road and as Alpha-Grey mentioned its happening in Massachusetts also. All these areas are strong Liberal-Socialists strongholds and most pride themselves on the "Diversity" of their cities, but with no sound of children playing in the streets....just WTF kinda paradise have they created?....to me its like a death sprial in slow motion.

Raising Children (My wife and I have 2 boys) is the hardest job Ive ever had, but also rewarding, most Liberals don't want the "hassle" of raising kids....its take too much energy, the wife is working and has no time and most Liberal men are too weak to make a man out of a boy.

This is my opinion only and not meant to insult anyone here.
BTW: well said Flyersfan

Maximu§

I think this is actually good news for Germany's neighbors. Remember when Germany last had a rapidly-growing population... they needed more land and farms so they invaded Poland, France, Russia, etc.!! Hitler believed that Germany's current territory would not be able to feed and sustain its future population.

But all kidding aside... As has been mentioned already, I think the biggest threat here to Germany and other European nations is the influx of Muslim immigrants. At this rate, we will someday see Europe as an Islamic continent. And when we have nations like Germany with a shrinking population, it only hastens the inevitable.

Originally posted by Alpha Grey
same thing happening in Massachusetts too.....although its taxes and the cold weather causing people to flee in droves....

No problems down here in Texas! Between Mexicans coming in from the south and Americans coming in from the northern U.S., we can't build houses, apartment complexes, and schools fast enough here. Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin, and Houston are bursting at the seams, and even small towns are growing remarkably.

Of course, Texas has rather warm weather, and no state income tax at all. I've read about the taxes that people have to pay in Massachusetts. They're insane!

There is a reason the birthrates are so low, it's the cultural climate, immigration can change that of course, probably not for the better, though.

Unless these countries rethink their societal priorities, they are going to experience more problems than just a quickly shrinking population, sooner or later, promises and contracts will be openly broken due to the lack of resources and money, the remains of these societies will then struggle for mere survival - at least that's what i believe will happen, 'gun control' or not. it's reshuffling of the cards, and no gov't on earth will stop the process.


PS: where's the obligatory 'Natural Selection' advocate? seems like an appropriate place to bring this up i think.

Its called "Liberalism"

Actually it's called "Poverty" anywhere in the world where you have alot of poor people you will have higher birthrates. Keep your partisan rankor to PTS please.

Originally posted by sardion2000
Actually it's called "Poverty" anywhere in the world where you have alot of poor people you will have higher birthrates.

Keep your partisan rankor to PTS please.

Don't ever tell me how to respond again.....got it?

Poverty plays a role in over-population, Ill grant you your point, but Socialism and Liberalism also plays a role is low birthrates.....you know why?

Because the family unit (Mother/Father) is spit on and we're considered "breeders" by the Homosexual lobby AND because ABORTION is worshipped by the Liberals as the devine right of a Woman.

Add it all up and what happens? Birthrates Fall.

Maximu§

Let me add this....Birthrates are not dropping, its just that more babies are being MURDERED. Thats right their being Aborted in large numbers!

We are killing our own.....killing them even before they draw their 1st breath.

Maximu§

Maximus, I understand your concern but I should tell you that abortion is actually illegal in Germany except under extreme circumstances.

Also most Germans are more interested in careers since its expensive to raise children. So says my German friend. Its also considered asocial if a family has more than two or three children.

Also you must realise that as a whole the population of the world is increasing rapidly. We're already overpopulated. This will eventually lead to more poverty, strains on resources, low food, etc. If anything abortion and homosexuals are slowly helping to solve this problem.

Kinda makes you think...I wonder if thats why there are homosexuals?

[edit on 31-1-2006 by Kacen]

Originally posted by sardion2000
Actually it's called "Poverty" anywhere in the world where you have alot of poor people you will have higher birthrates.

Keep your partisan rankor to PTS please.

I wouldn't say anywhere in the world.

Russia has a birth rate that's even lower than Germany but they are much poorer than Germany.

The economy of Belarus is much lower than Germany but the birth rate is equal.

The economy of Cuba is much lower than that of Britain but the birth rates are the same.

The highest birth rates are almost all muslim and African nations.
Their own countries probably cant even sustain them so they'll probably try to move into Europe and the US where the population is shrinking.

www.nationmaster.com...

EDIT: It probably has more to do with education and the role of women in society.


[edit on 31-1-2006 by AceOfBase]