[Nasrudith]

I think it is a lesser driver if anything but can help some. If the current demand can be met then there is less of a need to develop anything new. Why farm if there is an abundance of fruit essentially. But if demand grows there is more reason to try something new instead of waiting for the existing to wear out completely.

Previously population growth was essentially a prerequisite for specialization in order to but well that has been broken for a while now.

Education, research funding, trade, cross pollination of ideas and similiar would have more of an influence but population growty does drive some.