The historical relationship between freedom and population growth is vividly illustrated by the case of Western Europe. Prior to about 1650, the population of Europe had remained essentially stable for centuries. High birth rates were offset by high death rates. Compared with modern times, this period was one of severe economic deprivation for the masses. Under such conditions, the physical survival of each generation depended upon the exploitation of the next through child labor. This requirement, together with a much greater incidence of infant mortality, necessitated very high birth rates. With the advent of liberalism and decreasing governmental economic regulations (pp. 5.2:16-27), however, several factors combined to cut death rates. All of these, it should be noted, are traceable to the emergence of a relatively free market:

Technological improvements in agriculture, together with free trade, led to a growing food supply.
Improvements in transportation eliminated local famines.
Industrialization and free trade led to generally increasing standards of living, enabling improvements in sanitation and other areas.
Improvements in medicine led to the eradication of several deadly diseases.
A long period of relative peace, springing directly from the political influence of liberalism, was realized in Europe after 1815.