In countries all over the western world, patriotic citizens cry the benefits of a democratic society. One with freedoms and rights, pleasant living conditions and elected leaders. But is this fashion of living really sustainable? Surely, such a generous lifestyle cannot be continued for thousands of years, without mining the world free of resources?
I find it interesting that people are disgusted at the Chinese government for the power the hold over their people. A country of 1.3 (?) billion people can only survive if personal freedoms and rights are repressed (relative to our society) for the betterment of their entire society. The thinking of many asian people, which is to look to the future and the success of their children, is a key ingredient in such a policy. Take for instance the one-child policy. Without a doubt, if such a bill was passed in any western country there would be riots and turmoil. How can someone take away our right to have children? It doesn’t seem to be fair or just.
It is here that the problem lies. In our western society we love our rights, we put up with our few responsibilities (which are just the tau or kama associated with having rights, and not infringing on other peoples rights), and the thought of being given extra laws and restriction seems disgraceful to a democratic society. But look to the future as the Chinese government is doing. China just has too many people for the resources they are actually sitting on. A birth control policy is the only way they can drop their population to within a sustainable range. By putting up with restrictions to their freedoms now, the Chinese people will have better rights (possibly) and a higher standard of living in two or three generations time.
So what lesson should we learn from this? Well, the future of our society may not be all fun and games. Eventually we may need to sacrifice some of our freedoms, and the finer things in life, to make room for a more sustainable way of life. Wants will probably be the first thing to go. First, I imagine, we will receive rations (fuel rations, junk food rations, land rations) and then eventually these things will be gone.
Next to go will be our rights to land. A more densely populated society is far more efficient in terms of infrastructure, hence less resources are required for more people.
Finally I believe freedoms will go. Perhaps not to the extent of removing democracy, but curfews and other such restrictions will probably need to go into place to ensure a safe environment with such a high population density. Eventually government terms can be expected to be lengthened to allow governments to look more towards the future in their goals, and provide better for the people of tomorrow, not just worry about whether they will be voted back in at the end of their term.
But will the world actually turn out like this? Who knows. China is a prime example of how high populations are managed, especially in a world like ours, and they may demonstrate the form of government for tomorrow. Of course, some nuclear war or even global warming could knock us out first, but if we are to survive on this planet for many millenia to come, then I firmly believe the only possible way is to limit freedoms, lower consumption and aim for the future instead of today.
