A Non-Political Question

[texaspackerbacker]

Maybe I should have put this in Romper Room, but all of the superior intellects are in here, so here it is:

My youngest daughter who is a middle school social studies teacher called me up and asked, "Why is the population of China and India so large? How did it become that way?"

My first thought was that maybe they didn't have the plagues and long term wars that killed off so many in Europe, but I really wasn't able to give her more than a speculative answer. Anybody got an explanation--serious/non-sarcastic/maybe even non-political?

[sheepshead]

Sure, once they the industrial revolution took hold, penicillin and antibiotics, they just started filling in their vast real estate holdings.

[hoosier]

Maybe I should have put this in Romper Room, but all of the superior intellects are in here, so here it is:

My youngest daughter who is a middle school social studies teacher called me up and asked, "Why is the population of China and India so large? How did it become that way?"

My first thought was that maybe they didn't have the plagues and long term wars that killed off so many in Europe, but I really wasn't able to give her more than a speculative answer. Anybody got an explanation--serious/non-sarcastic/maybe even non-political?

China has to be as big as it is because if it wasn't then 800 million Chinamen could be wrong. Oh yeah, you say you want a serious answer. If I remember my world history, China has always been huge, 80 million or so at the time of Christ. It has always been an agricultural society, which--assuming you have the necessary technology--certainly promotes stability and population growth. And the coastal regions, from Beijing to Shanghai all the way down south to Hong Kong, get lots and lots of crop-friendly rain. That's my best bet.

[texaspackerbacker]

So if I put "non-political" in the title, the thread automatically gets transferred over here?

I found this article by a professor from State University of New York saying that it was 60 million in 2 A.D.--about 1/4 the world's population--but it has been anything but a straight line since then. The next 1300 years, it decreased and then just got back to 60 million because of turmoil and rebellions, etc. Then, in the next 500 years to 1851, it increased seven-fold to about 420 million. Then for the next 100 years to 1953, it grew by only about 35% to 580 million. Since then, it has more than doubled in sixty years to the 1.3 billion. Strange fluctuations.

That still doesn't really answer why there are 1.3 billion in China, nearly a billion more in India, and just 570 some million in Europe. China, at least, apparently had its equivalents to the Hundred Years War and the black plague.

[swede]

So if I put "non-political" in the title, the thread automatically gets transferred over here?

I'm ticked also! If I want to read Tex's stuff I shouldn't have to step into the Romper Room to do it.

I don't go into a gay bar just because I need a drink!

(Except for when I used to go to Sherlock's at happy hour. Rail 2fers! The free soup was good and nobody got hit on until after 7:00.)

[MJZiggy]

So if I put "non-political" in the title, the thread automatically gets transferred over here?

I found this article by a professor from State University of New York saying that it was 60 million in 2 A.D.--about 1/4 the world's population--but it has been anything but a straight line since then. The next 1300 years, it decreased and then just got back to 60 million because of turmoil and rebellions, etc. Then, in the next 500 years to 1851, it increased seven-fold to about 420 million. Then for the next 100 years to 1953, it grew by only about 35% to 580 million. Since then, it has more than doubled in sixty years to the 1.3 billion. Strange fluctuations.

That still doesn't really answer why there are 1.3 billion in China, nearly a billion more in India, and just 570 some million in Europe. China, at least, apparently had its equivalents to the Hundred Years War and the black plague. More widely accepted birth control in Europe.

[Deputy Nutz]

Maybe the eating habits of the Indians.

[texaspackerbacker]

So if I put "non-political" in the title, the thread automatically gets transferred over here?

I found this article by a professor from State University of New York saying that it was 60 million in 2 A.D.--about 1/4 the world's population--but it has been anything but a straight line since then. The next 1300 years, it decreased and then just got back to 60 million because of turmoil and rebellions, etc. Then, in the next 500 years to 1851, it increased seven-fold to about 420 million. Then for the next 100 years to 1953, it grew by only about 35% to 580 million. Since then, it has more than doubled in sixty years to the 1.3 billion. Strange fluctuations.

That still doesn't really answer why there are 1.3 billion in China, nearly a billion more in India, and just 570 some million in Europe. China, at least, apparently had its equivalents to the Hundred Years War and the black plague. More widely accepted birth control in Europe.

You're kidding, right?

[texaspackerbacker]

So if I put "non-political" in the title, the thread automatically gets transferred over here?

I'm ticked also! If I want to read Tex's stuff I shouldn't have to step into the Romper Room to do it.

I don't go into a gay bar just because I need a drink!

(Except for when I used to go to Sherlock's at happy hour. Rail 2fers! The free soup was good and nobody got hit on until after 7:00.)

I'm not "ticked". I just thought it was funny. It makes me want to start some blatantly political thread and title it "non-political .......'

Anyway, I'm STILL looking for an answer here, if indeed there is a well accepted one--or at least a serious plausible guess.

I have a religious theory about China's/Asia's population, but I suppose I better not state it, or the thread will get kicked back where it started.

[MJZiggy]

So if I put "non-political" in the title, the thread automatically gets transferred over here?

I found this article by a professor from State University of New York saying that it was 60 million in 2 A.D.--about 1/4 the world's population--but it has been anything but a straight line since then. The next 1300 years, it decreased and then just got back to 60 million because of turmoil and rebellions, etc. Then, in the next 500 years to 1851, it increased seven-fold to about 420 million. Then for the next 100 years to 1953, it grew by only about 35% to 580 million. Since then, it has more than doubled in sixty years to the 1.3 billion. Strange fluctuations.

That still doesn't really answer why there are 1.3 billion in China, nearly a billion more in India, and just 570 some million in Europe. China, at least, apparently had its equivalents to the Hundred Years War and the black plague. More widely accepted birth control in Europe.

You're kidding, right?

Not forced after the fact, but accepted on a personal level for reasons other than "the government said so."

[mraynrand]

The Chinese and Indians believe in the Glorious Multiplier Effect.

[texaspackerbacker]

The Chinese and Indians believe in the Glorious Multiplier Effect.

I guess that's proof it works.

Ziggy, the problem I see with your birth control theory--the reason I asked if you were kidding--is the rather strong influence of a little thing called the Catholic Church--which, of course tends to discourage that sort of thing--and, correct me if I'm wrong, has for many centuries.

[MJZiggy]

The Chinese and Indians believe in the Glorious Multiplier Effect.

I guess that's proof it works.

Ziggy, the problem I see with your birth control theory--the reason I asked if you were kidding--is the rather strong influence of a little thing called the Catholic Church--which, of course tends to discourage that sort of thing--and, correct me if I'm wrong, has for many centuries.

Ever heard of a Cafeteria Catholic? Besides, when you start with 60 million and they start reproducing (especially land owners who "make" farm hands) That many people have the potential to make a lot more people. Also consider that Europe has a more limited amount of space--see Ireland--to put all these new people.

[MadtownPacker]

TPB - Im not sure what happened with this thread but have you thought maybe it is because so many Asians live a long time? Im sure their average is way up on ours or say europe. All that good shit they eat makes the run more efficient like the cars and they last longer?

Nothing factual, just an opinion.