[jerf]

"if psych/soc pressures don't stabilize the population by themselves."

Since at the moment, the evidence strongly suggests that they are, "population control" measures sound even more evil to me than they did before.

The problem is that when you go to concretize the abstract question, you end up with the question "Who gets the power to decide who lives and dies?" (or reproduces) and one need not study history for very long to become very nervous about the possible answers. Those of you who casually assume you'd be on the "live" side are unjustified in your confidence.

[GFischer]

Well, China did have such a policy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-child_policy

[hx87]

It has been of questionable utility since the decline in fertility began before the policy was implemented. In fact, the policy was conceived to counteract Mao's pro-natalist policy where a large(r) population was supposed to be a hedge against nuclear war with the Soviet Union.