9781422283912

Over centuries all the European monarchies have slowly eroded, giving way to democratic rule. But the last genuine European monarchy, Luxembourg, did not end until 2009. Although Luxembourg had an advisory parliament, the country had been governed by a grand duke up until then. Europe Today Europe’s population is fairly stagnant. It is increasing, but only very slightly. Italy’s health minister said the country was dying—its birthrate in 2015 is at its lowest since Italy’s formation as a modern state in 1861. A total of 8.4 babies are born per 1,000 people. Some say the lower birth rates in Europe are related to economic turmoil and high unemployment in some regions. While fewer people are being born in some European countries, more immigrants are eager to come into European countries—especially with civil strife in Syria and Iraq. Instead of accepting population contraction, countries with declining citizenry could accept more immigrants, who could potentially generate more revenue and provide cultural influences. According to an article in YaleGlobal Online, Italy’s population would decline by 15 percent by midcentury without immigration—even with immigration, Italy’spopulationisexpectedtobe3percentsmaller in2050compared to today. Integrating immigrants into a country, however, can be challenging. When it comes to social progress,many countries inEurope rankhighon the index of the Social Progress Imperative, the SPI. Of the top 15 countries in the SPI, 11 are in Europe—Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, Austria, and Germany. Some European countries, though, don’t do as well. France, for example, does well when it comes tomeeting basic human needs, but the country faces challenges with environmental issues

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