Cultural and Social Implications of America’s Population Changes
Social Implications of America’s Population Changes
A country’s population can change dramatically over time. Changing demographic trends have many cultural and societal implications. For example, changes in population affect economic opportunities and social expectations. Americans are divided in their beliefs about the impact of these trends, with some seeing them as a continuation of America’s “melting pot” tradition and others concerned that it is an unwelcome departure from the nation’s European heritage.
Since the first permanent European settlements in what is now the United States, the population has expanded to more than 400 million people. There have been several significant declines in growth — in 1918-19 due to the Spanish Flu pandemic, and again in the late 1920s and 1930s during the Great Depression. But after a lull in the post-World War II era, population growth increased significantly with the baby boom and a strong rate of immigration.
In recent decades, the America population has become more diverse racially and ethnically. The aging of the white population has contributed to this trend, as have historically high birth rates for nonwhite racial and ethnic groups. Nonwhite racial and ethnic populations are growing faster than the population overall, with the most rapid increases occurring in Latino or Hispanic residents, African American residents, and those identifying as Asian Americans.
Cultural and Social Implications of America’s Population Changes
The shift to a more diverse population is occurring with some of the fastest growth among younger Americans. By 2020, the population of those under age 16 is expected to be nearly four-fifths racial or ethnic minority. This means that for the first time in the nation’s history, minorities will make up a majority of those under the age of 16, and this figure will increase further in 2050 and beyond.
This reflects a number of factors, including a greater proportion of Black and Latino or Hispanic families with young children; a lower birth rate for whites, which is also the case with Asian Americans; and the fact that a greater percentage of young adults of all ethnicities are choosing to live in urban areas rather than rural communities. In addition, women and people of color now have equal access to higher education and career opportunities.
But while more minorities are earning graduate and professional degrees, they still have a higher poverty rate than whites and have less wealth. This makes it difficult to say that the nation’s diversity is benefiting all Americans equally. There is room for improvement on all fronts. More attention needs to be paid to the health, welfare, and educational achievement of America’s racially diverse younger generations.
This will require a broad-based effort, including more funding for schools and college scholarships, greater economic support for all groups of residents, and increased public support for civil rights and cultural diversity. It will also involve a willingness to address long-standing inequalities, such as those reflected in the fact that women and minorities are still disproportionately represented in the lower income brackets. These are challenges that can be overcome, but only if the people of America work together to find solutions.