tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19949676.post8147779740164822739..comments2024-03-24T20:13:39.387+00:00Comments on demography.matters.blog: The Clock Is Ticking Away Under LatviaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19949676.post-65572259180128725542009-06-14T23:27:18.637+00:002009-06-14T23:27:18.637+00:00Ok. if you concieve of the fertility trap as more ...Ok. if you concieve of the fertility trap as more of an obstacle to be overcome than an absolute barrier, I think the difference between us is at least in part just semantic. It's true that it does become harder, i.e. more costly to address these issues if fertility is very low for an extended period of time. I'm uncomfortable with setting a somewhat arbitrary level at 1.5 but obviously Aslakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05813371594062969329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19949676.post-32986853659000103732009-06-14T11:53:08.798+00:002009-06-14T11:53:08.798+00:00Incidentally, Latvian Abroad just sent me this in ...Incidentally, Latvian Abroad just sent me this in a comment:<br /><br />"There are some other things in the budget that are even worse. The healthcare budget is being cut by 42 mln - that's 25% of what was left after the previous cuts. I don't quite imagine how our hospitals can keep functioning after that."<br /><br />I haven't even begun to explore the lose-lose Edward Hughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10384039867580949531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19949676.post-91337649116209375002009-06-14T11:52:59.230+00:002009-06-14T11:52:59.230+00:00Hi
"Philosophically, it seems a little too f...Hi<br /><br />"Philosophically, it seems a little too fatalistic and I think it underestimates the capacity of human societies to adapt to meet challenges."<br /><br />Well look, in the fisrt place it does not need to be interpreted fatalistically, since it is only a mechanism, one which has some possible empirical support, but like all mechanisms it can be addressed, and attempts made Edward Hughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10384039867580949531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19949676.post-63221448755980978412009-06-14T10:23:07.593+00:002009-06-14T10:23:07.593+00:00Interesting. I have to confess that I have always ...Interesting. I have to confess that I have always been somewhat instinctively biased against the fertility-trap hypothesis for a number of reasons. Philosophically, it seems a little too fatalistic and I think it underestimates the capacity of human societies to adapt to meet challenges.<br /><br />On the economic level, just two quick questions: Isn't it a little early for its admittedly Aslakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05813371594062969329noreply@blogger.com