nwasianweekly.com
Dec. 2, 2006

Dr. Sawraj Singh

300 million: no cause for celebration

By Dr. Sawraj Singh
For the Northwest Asian Weekly

A few years ago, when India’s population crossed one billion, I wrote, “India’s billion no cause for celebration.” Now I have to say the same thing about America.

India and the United States have more in common than rapid population growth. This growth is actually the result of similar policies. Both countries are enthusiastic supporters of globalization and view population as a resource to be exploited for bigger profits.

A comparison of America with other developed countries and a comparison of India with China show that the U.S. and India are following trends different than other countries. For example, in almost all developed countries, populations have either leveled off or are decreasing. Western Europe and Japan are prime examples of this. Even in Canada, the white population is decreasing; Canada needs to add about one percent (about 300,000 people) to its population every year in order to maintain its work force.

China has adopted a fundamentally different approach to its population. It is now promoting one-child families more vigorously in the rural areas as well as in the cities. China has decided to offer financial rewards to couples who have reached their 60s and have one male child or two female children. This measure is supposed to help them in their retirement so that one child does not bear the burden of caring for aging parents. China is the only country seriously considering balancing economic growth with social stability. At a recent meeting of the Communist Party, greater emphasis was placed on social harmony than on economic growth.

In 1915, the U.S. population was 100 million, and in 1967, it became 200 million. Note that it took only 39 years to gain another 100 million people. Out of these 200 million, 55 million are immigrants. America is gaining one person every 11 seconds. It is estimated that by 2040, the population will reach 400 million.

The composition of the population is rapidly changing. In 1967, the 200 million people included 167 million whites and about 33 million nonwhites. When the population hit 300,000, about one-third of people in America were nonwhite. By 2050, more than half the population will be nonwhite.

The numbers aren’t the only thing that’s changing; there is also growing economic polarization within America. On the one hand, the number of billionaires is increasing; on the other, the number of people living below the poverty line continues to climb. Even those people who are not living in poverty are unable to afford decent quality of life. For example, 46 million Americans cannot afford medical insurance, and about double that number are uninsured. This means that almost half the population cannot afford adequate health insurance. If we take into consideration the average price of buying or renting a house, then it becomes clear that a large proportion of the U.S. population, particularly those in big cities, is unable to afford a decent home in which to live.

Environmental groups are also concerned about overtaxing the environment. One can learn from the extreme example of the Indian subcontinent, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to even provide the most basic necessities for the population, such as drinking water and toilet facilities. One particular problem in America is suburban sprawl. This sprawl is eating up more and more land for residential developments, which forces people to drive further and further to get to their homes and workplaces. The results are more pollution, increased deforestation, ecosystem disruption and worsened global warming.

I moved to America in 1971, when the population was a little more than 200 million, and I have lived to see the population become 300 million. I have witnessed a sharp decline in the quality of life for a large section of the population. There is more congestion and traffic jams; many orange groves, orchards and forest areas have become concrete jungles. I probably will not be here to witness the 400-million milestone, but it makes me sad to envision the further degradation of the environment and reduced quality of life for the majority of these people. I am afraid that I will be here to watch one and a half billion Indians.

We need a fundamental change to globalization. The economic growth has to be balanced with social concerns. We have to stop looking at people as just commodities to be exploited for larger profits. We must consider people to be important inhabitants of this planet and provide them with the highest quality of life in the cleanest environment possible.

Dr. Sawraj Singh, of Ellensburg, is chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice.

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