The idea of limiting population growth has been popular among all sorts of racists and eugenicists for a long time, and that has discredited the idea. Economics shows that shrinking populations empower workers, and socialists aim to empower all workers. I think about this example a lot as an exercise of potential coalition building. Can people with diametrically opposed beliefs agree on a goal and actually deliver it in a way that all are satisfied? Can this actually lead to effective policy? 1/
There are certainly clear negative examples of this: in Cambodia in the 70s, the dictator Lon Nol was widely hated, and stayed in power due to #US backing. People were so desperate to get rid of Lon Nol, that a wide variety of people backed the Khmer Rouge in what seemed the only way to get rid of him. That finally worked for getting rid of Lon Nol. Sadly, the Khmer Rouge ended up being even worse, leading a massive genocide against its own people. 2/
For a positive example, starting in 1919 in #Vienna, the #AustroMarxist Social Democratic Party built affordable housing by taxing luxury goods. Capitalist construction companies gained from this because they got lots of new contracts. This work has spread to the point where a majority of the city lives in subsidized housing. 3/3
