Europe is confronted by an existential demographic challenge every bit as pressing as climate change. The UN predicts that, by 2050, EU member states will experience population decline. The impact is already evident in eastern and south-eastern Europe, where, according to Eurostat, 10 EU member countries recorded an absolute decline in population in 2018. The equivalent of small cities are disappearing every year.
A growing number of countries are responding to this demographic crisis, with a range of interventions and incentives. Hungary is an especially interesting example.
But here’s the thing. Mention Hungary and what Galbraith called the “Conventional Wisdom” reflexively defaults to “President Orban” — end of discussion.
This is foolish. It deflects us from the possibility that the Hungarian model has lessons and insights for other EU member countries and for the UK, where the Office of National Statistics (ONS) population projections make for very bleak reading.
The consequences …More