been thinking about it, WHAT IF it wasnt a country with a huge population?

dream comes true....

good q.

Then maybe the country wouldn't have the burden of 900 million poor peasants. :)

china has 700m peasants,not 900m.furthermore,NOT ALL peasants are poor(most are)

WHAT IF it wasnt a country with a huge population?

it could be richer,but less skyscrapered.

not many nations can handle 1.3b people so smoothly

Population should not be too high(India, China) or too low(like some European countries). If the population of India and China were more like 500 million or so, they would have been superpowers rt now..

Population should not be too high(India, China) or too low(like some European countries). If the population of India and China were more like 500 million or so, they would have been superpowers rt now..

0.3 billion is just right.. like America

Population is a big burden to China, that's why China carrys out the One Child Policy. But actually the governement has release the policy on some degree this year after the CPC. The population in Shanghai actually is decreasing.

From another hand, China gets a lot of advantages by her population.

There's are two examples you can look to in order to see how china might have developed if she weren't so massive: Taiwan and Hong Kong. both did fantastically, as did South Korea, another Asian Tiger.

of course, there is also the point that those three tigers were democratic, capitalist and stable, which enabled investment and industry to flourish much earlier.

china's large population makes it inherently less stable, because it is impossible to spread rapid development so that everyone benefits immediately. This is very much a problem today in China, as rural people who don't get many of the benefits often are neglected and receive much of the pollution and environmental degradation that accompanies rapid industrial development.

Population is a big burden to China, that's why China carrys out the One Child Policy. But actually the governement has release the policy on some degree this year after the CPC. The population in Shanghai actually is decreasing.

From another hand, China gets a lot of advantages by her population.
no ，shanghai's population incrasea because of immigrant from other provinces.

The big population definitely hindered China, but once it's up and running, oh boy...

There's are two examples you can look to in order to see how china might have developed if she weren't so massive: Taiwan and Hong Kong. both did fantastically, as did South Korea, another Asian Tiger.

of course, there is also the point that those three tigers were democratic, capitalist and stable, which enabled investment and industry to flourish much earlier.

South Korea and Taiwan were not democratic until the late 80's and 90's. Hong Kong never became fully democratic. SK and Taiwan weren't exactly models for political stability either, and existed beside hostile communist neighbours.

Singapore was never democratic

China probably wouldn't be much different either way. Don't forget that the China of say, twenty years ago was the result of Communism (the hardcore variety) 1.3 billion or twenty million...probably would have still been the same. As it stands the population is detrimental to the Chinese economy but that may well change in the future. Of course, usually once a nation gets to a certain GDP per capita the birthrate starts dropping and never stops. Possibly the leaders of China are hoping for just such a trend.

In any case, once the middle class becomes sizeable enough China will definitely be the world's economic engine. However, that is still decades away assuming nothing bad happens between now and then as far the Chinese economy is concerned. With no huge and untouched natural resources of note except for the people, China is forced to invest in them for its well-being. This is a good thing but since the middle class is only a paltry 70 million right now, you can see that it's a long way off from being as prosperous as the westernized world.

If it population is lowered, then it will be similar to US with enough money for developers to build towers.

South Korea and Taiwan were not democratic until the late 80's and 90's. Hong Kong never became fully democratic. SK and Taiwan weren't exactly models for political stability either, and existed beside hostile communist neighbours.

SK and Taiwan also only became "Asian Tigers" in the 80's and 90's. And as for stability, there is probably little that can make a place more stable than when a foreign power is threatening obliteration.

That is true about Hong Kong, though from the british they did get a individual property-rights oriented capitalistic system that is typical of many full democracies.

I don't know much about singapore's development.

I think that in the start of the Chinas recent boom its population was a bad thing, with to many mouths to feed and what not. But now as all of those people start to become middle class citizens (which I know will take time) there will be a greater economy with more wealth and trade. Imagine a China with 800 million middle class citizens? For some reason Im seeing dozens of cities similar to Vancouver, with hundreds of high-rise stuctures around the country. All that power and wealth concentrated there in those cities. A good thing for China, a bad thing for the United States.

SK and Taiwan also only became "Asian Tigers" in the 80's and 90's. And as for stability, there is probably little that can make a place more stable than when a foreign power is threatening obliteration.

That is true about Hong Kong, though from the british they did get a individual property-rights oriented capitalistic system that is typical of many full democracies.

I don't know much about singapore's development.
I am less clear about South Korea; but in regards to Taiwan, it was quite developed and already an "Asian Tiger" by the time the first presidential elections were held in 1996.

I am less clear about South Korea; but in regards to Taiwan, it was quite developed and already an "Asian Tiger" by the time the first presidential elections were held in 1996.
But politically, it was really a dark age until the 80s...
It's kind of like China nowadays, economy is growing extremely fast, but the government system is still corrupt. Democracy probably comes later when the economy is mature enough.

I think that in the start of the Chinas recent boom its population was a bad thing, with to many mouths to feed and what not. But now as all of those people start to become middle class citizens (which I know will take time) there will be a greater economy with more wealth and trade. Imagine a China with 800 million middle class citizens? For some reason Im seeing dozens of cities similar to Vancouver, with hundreds of high-rise stuctures around the country. All that power and wealth concentrated there in those cities. A good thing for China, a bad thing for the United States.

Why is it a bad thing for united states. I think the us will profit the most of chinas boom. Just think about all those chinese people who buy american software, planes and other stuff. Of course there will be more competition, but competition is good for business.

well it's bad thing for americans working in manufacturing sectors.

For CEOs, hehe...

400 to 600 million is ok
but 1.3 billion is obviously too funkin much

Why is it a bad thing for united states. I think the us will profit the most of chinas boom. Just think about all those chinese people who buy american software, planes and other stuff. Of course there will be more competition, but competition is good for business.


Oh-no your right about the econamic aspects of it. I mean look at our steel industry, its booming because of the demand from China. In the manufacturing sectors, we will lose out though to there cheaper labor force. Im talking militarily though.

If China is going to be our main competitor in the future economically then what would stop them from being our main competitor militarily? Could we fight off 1 billion Chinese? If they could even get a better navy then we'd be in some trouble. Im not just talking about war, but intimidation as well. The Chinese wouldn't have to just talk to us about an issue, like say Taiwan? They'd just point there gun and give us demands.

Thats a very grim aspect of the possible future. America is not used to being complient to anyone (as we've seen in the last few years) so imagine us having to back down at there whim? I know this is a lot of what if's but we need to watch them just as much as they watch us.

Diplomacy is the key. This is why we don't have multiple wars going on all the time.

With care and restraint, the US and China can coexist peacefully and productively. Without care, who knows what the future could bring.

^Hopefully your both right. :)

Chinese learned from Japan's Techongloy
Chinese learned from USA's War in Afghanistan and Iraq

Chinese would kick USA out quicky when they ready
Chinese will get Hong Kong and Taiwan back to China
Chinese don't need North America
Chinese only care is Hong Kong and Taiwan

One Day, Russia will return to CCCP (USSR) Commisum!

Thank Gosh that I am not in China or USA or Russia

Very Sad for Economy and Government in the Future

population was important to attract companies, but as I know the milk sector, I can say that China and india are making prices skyrocketing, because they are getting western habits. it means, as in other products, and with a growing Chinese demand to billions, is unsutainable. And it will have effect on these countries with huge populations.

Population helped it grow and become attractive to investors, but it is a menace to its stability and prosperity. By the behaviour of China, creating alliances to get resources, new markets, controlling the birth rate, etc one can easily see that it will keep growing.

I don't know about India, some people are putting their expectations too high on it.

If it population is lowered, then it will be similar to US with enough money for developers to build towers.

lol..china certainly has enough money to build towers:rofl:

Oh-no your right about the econamic aspects of it. I mean look at our steel industry, its booming because of the demand from China. In the manufacturing sectors, we will lose out though to there cheaper labor force. Im talking militarily though.

If China is going to be our main competitor in the future economically then what would stop them from being our main competitor militarily? Could we fight off 1 billion Chinese? If they could even get a better navy then we'd be in some trouble. Im not just talking about war, but intimidation as well. The Chinese wouldn't have to just talk to us about an issue, like say Taiwan? They'd just point there gun and give us demands.

Thats a very grim aspect of the possible future. America is not used to being complient to anyone (as we've seen in the last few years) so imagine us having to back down at there whim? I know this is a lot of what if's but we need to watch them just as much as they watch us.
well,thats what happens..even to america!