But the thing that shocks me is how Zakaria flippantly ignores that he paints the problem as own of a lack of vitality due to poor economic ideas, yet many of the countries I assume he would attack for their economics are the same ones that are experiencing population growth.

Consider also that GDP does not account for leisure time.  So that all other things being equal, a nation in which the workweek is 45 hours will have a GDP a full third more than one in which the workweek is 35 hours.

(Neo)Liberal economics is not the answer. There are limits to growth, not the least of which are allowing workers a life outside the workplace and the devastation that unending growth has on the environment.

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg