When America gives aid to poor countries, does that countries population then increase?

Question

This is an example of the Ratchet Effect described by neo-Malthusian philosopher Garrett Hardin. Is there any proof that the Ratchet Effect really works?

Answer 1

No it doesn't. If the aid is genuinely helpful it leads to an increase in the standard of living and the better off people are the fewer children they will have.

Answer 2

Poor countries keep growing in population despite having little, no or even negative growth. The process of reproduction in those states is a means of the people providing a safety net for themselves; more hands in the family means more hands that can procure the resources from which the collective unit can then survive on.

Throwing money at the problem won't help when the state is weak/corrupt and thus unable to improve the situation.

Answer 3

I always thought aid would prevent people from dying which is not really an increase in the population. It would just be a decrease in dying of starvation & disease. But I can see that you could look at it as an increase. The future children would be less likely to die of disease &, hopefully, starvation. And fewer adults would die as well. So yes, I agree. (Kind of thought that one through as I wrote).