For many years, development economists and other social scientists have debated the seriousness of the consequences of rapid population growth.On the one hand, we must recognize that population growth is not the only,or even the primary, source of low levels of living, eroding self-esteem, andlimited freedom in developing nations. On the other hand, it would be equally naive to think that rapid population growth in many countries and regions is not a serious intensifier and multiplier of those integral components of underdevelopment, especially the first and third. The following discussion
summarizes some of the main arguments for and against the idea that the consequences of rapid population growth lead to serious development problems. It then considers whether some consensus can be reached so that specific policy goals and objectives can be postulated.