2008 Woodie Awards
America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It
A Book Review
Newbaum Turk
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: Commentary
Russia and Japan are in population death spirals while Europe is not far behind. How far behind? "What's the Muslim population of Rotterdam? Forty percent. What's the most popular baby boy's name in Belgium? Mohammed. In Malmo, Sweden? Mohammed. By 2005, it was the fifth most popular baby boy's name in the United Kingdom." In two generations, what demographic will be the largest voting bloc in most European nations? You guessed it…and it is at that point that they may simply "vote" for Sharia Law.
What has caused this precipitous decline in the modern world? Steyn thinks that the majority of the problem lies in the pathos that turns everything over to Big Government socialism (social security, welfare, healthcare, etc.) with all of its baggage (diversity and multiculturalism-except for Christianity, of course, which cannot be tolerated). And it is no coincidence that in Europe "four of the five healthiest fertility rates belong to four of the five countries that also score highest for economic freedom: Ireland, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands."
If current trends continue, what non-Islamic industrialized nation will remain by the end of this century? Maybe China, if they maintain their "one child" policy, it will get old before it gets wealthy. Plus they have another problem; 119 boys to every 100 girls survive to adulthood. What will become of a 19% surplus of unmarried men? Will they leave? Will they become a societal or criminal underground? The question remains to be answered but it is hard to see the bright side of the situation.
If current trends continue it will be America that survives. Alone. The United States has a fertility rate of 2.07 but would be 1.85 if we didn't have such a large influx of immigrants. But the US is coming dangerously close to our European cousins as long as we keep giving ourselves larger and larger entitlements in order to serve the "public good."
While it is hard not to be pessimistic about the future, Steyn does give a prescription for improving the state of the State. We will have the distinct advantage of watching Europe collapse…which will cause even the hardest of hard-core socialists to pause- a pause that might give us enough time to strike a different path.
On a more positive note, the numbers also suggest American conservatives are reproducing about 12% more than our liberal counterparts…which can only help us in the long run.
What has caused this precipitous decline in the modern world? Steyn thinks that the majority of the problem lies in the pathos that turns everything over to Big Government socialism (social security, welfare, healthcare, etc.) with all of its baggage (diversity and multiculturalism-except for Christianity, of course, which cannot be tolerated). And it is no coincidence that in Europe "four of the five healthiest fertility rates belong to four of the five countries that also score highest for economic freedom: Ireland, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands."
If current trends continue, what non-Islamic industrialized nation will remain by the end of this century? Maybe China, if they maintain their "one child" policy, it will get old before it gets wealthy. Plus they have another problem; 119 boys to every 100 girls survive to adulthood. What will become of a 19% surplus of unmarried men? Will they leave? Will they become a societal or criminal underground? The question remains to be answered but it is hard to see the bright side of the situation.
If current trends continue it will be America that survives. Alone. The United States has a fertility rate of 2.07 but would be 1.85 if we didn't have such a large influx of immigrants. But the US is coming dangerously close to our European cousins as long as we keep giving ourselves larger and larger entitlements in order to serve the "public good."
While it is hard not to be pessimistic about the future, Steyn does give a prescription for improving the state of the State. We will have the distinct advantage of watching Europe collapse…which will cause even the hardest of hard-core socialists to pause- a pause that might give us enough time to strike a different path.
On a more positive note, the numbers also suggest American conservatives are reproducing about 12% more than our liberal counterparts…which can only help us in the long run.
Be the first to comment on this story