Is population growth really the measure of a country?Reader comment on: Krugman on Europe Submitted by ben (United States), Jan 11, 2010 11:09 Is India the place everyone want to be? The countries with the highest growth rates in population are often the poorest in the world. Lack of family planning, poverty and many other causes play into this. i would argue the difference in immigration between Western Europe and the US since 1980 has more to do with the fact we have a large, developing nation (Mexico) that borders us and supplies a constant stream of immigrant to our nation. Second, how is the Celtic Tiger doing these days. Along with Iceland, Ireland has shown that the unrestrained capitalism that they have engaged in over the past decades was little more than a mirage. i would use Ireland to prove Krugman's point, not refute it. Note: Comments are moderated by the editor and are subject to editing. The Future of Capitalism replies: Yes, India is growing like gangbusters. Bollywood is surpassing Hollywood, and the "I" in India is part of the "BRIC" -- Brazil, Russia, India, China -- that has been attractive to growth-seeking investors. The idea that Mexico is what drives U.S. immigration growth is a misconception driven by stereotype rather than reality. According tothe Department of Homeland Security, of the 1.1 million people who became U.S. permanent residents in 2008, 121,000 came from Europe, 369,000 came from Asia, and 188,000 came from Mexico. The flow of Americans toward Europe is a smallernumber. On the family size point, yes, some poor families are large. But so are some rich ones. Other reader comments on this item
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