The Population Problem

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Term Paper Title	The Population Problem
# of Words	2853
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	11.41

The Population Problem

The Population Problem

Two hundred years ago, Thomas Malthus, in An Essay on the Principle of
Population, reached the conclusion that the number of people in the world will
increase exponentially, while the ability to feed these people will only
increase arithmetically (21).  Current evidence shows that this theory may not
be far from the truth.  For example, between 1950 and 1984, the total amount of
grain produced more than doubled, much more than the increase in population in
those 34 years.  More recently though, these statistics have become  reversed.
From 1950 to 1984, the amount of grain increased at 3 percent annually.  Yet,
from 1984 to 1993, grain production had grown at barely 1 percent per year, a
decrease in grain production per person of 12 percent (Brown 31). Also
strengthening to Malthus' argument is the theory that the world population will
increase to over 10 billion by 2050, two times what it was in 1990 (Bongaarts
36).  Demographers predict that 2.8 billion people were added to the world
population between 1950 and 1990, an average of  70,000 a year.  Between 1990
and 2030, it is estimated that another 3.6 billion will be added, an average of
90,000 a year (Brown 31).  Moreover, in the 18th century, the world population
growth was 0.34%; it increased to 0.54% in the 19th century and in the first
half of the 20th century to 0.84% (Weiskel 40). Neo-Malthusians base their
arguments on the teachings of Thomas Malthus.  Of the Neo-Malthusians, Garrett
Hardin is one of the most prominent and controversial.  Hardin's essays discuss
the problem of overpopulation and the effects it will have on the future.  In
Lifeboat Ethics, he concludes that continuous increases in population will have
disastrous outcomes. Neo-Malthusian arguments come under much scrutiny by those
who believe that the population explosion is only a myth.  Those who hold these
beliefs state that the evidence Neo-Malthusians use to justify their views is
far from conclusive.  Critics hold that the Neo-Malthusian call for
authoritarian control is much too radical.  Thus, these critics belittle the
theories of Neo-Malthusians on the basis that population is not a problem.
However radical Hardin's theories may be, current evidence shows that he may not
be too far off the mark.  It is hardly arguable that the population has
increased in the past few decades, for current statistics show that this
actually is the case.  Equally revealing, is the fact that vas...

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