[mytailorisrich]

Prosperity needs growth per capita.

Population growth expands general demand and markets, and really sustains some industries (construction, for instance), but is not sustainable, indeed.

If population growth stalls or even if population shrinks then the overall economic output will do the same. But IMHO that is not important, what is important for people is the economic output per capita and as such I think it's possible for people's lives to continue to improve.

[ehnto]

Most first world countries have an infatuation with construction and property that seems unsustainable, especially as property prices rise and land ownership continues consolidating up the economic ladder.

A few countries have caught themselves in a bubble, and my country in particular (Australia) does everything it can to make sure it doesn't pop. There are numerous government grants for home-buyers, every time we have a financial crisis it's the construction and banking industries that get all the grants and bailouts, and even during the various COVID lockdowns there have been schemes to prop up construction. Government and council platforms are almost always based around construction projects, rarely reform or social programs.

I get why, without these schemes, the house of cards would come falling down. But at some point endless construction will have to slow down, and we'll need to make a more sustainable relationship with construction and property.

[MrPatan]

Wars are won with absolute resources, not per capita resources