> A more reasonable version, ...
> ... is for each couple to have only one child. That,
> I think, could be done without wrecking the culture, ...
That's what China's doing, and it seems to work in terms of reducing population growth -- not reducing actual population yet, but the growth rate.
There are some exceptions. Some minority ethnic groups are allowed more kids, and if both of a couple are only children, then they are allowed two kids. This is tied into the culture's expectations and the grandparents wanting grandkids.
There are also quite a few problems. Some people abort or abandon female children because, if they can only have one, they want a boy. This is partly cultural; a son will support you in your old age but a daughter will be busy helping take care of her husband's parents.
Also, there are fines for having more than one, so some of the rich just pay the fine. Extra kids born to parents who cannot pay end up unregistered, without legal identity documents, sort of an unperson. So do some girls whose parents leave them unregistered hoping for a boy as the second child. Many prositutes come from that situation.
Also, many of the kids, especially in rich families, are spoiled rotten. I find myself wondering what happens when two kids who've both been pampered all their lives pair off.
-- Sandy Harris Zhuhai, Guangdong, China