The Population Problem Essay
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...show
more content...
More people means more waste, more pollution, and more development. With this taken into
consideration, it seems that Hardin's teachings should no longer fall on deaf ears. When discussing
the issue of population, it is important to note that it is one of the most controversial issues facing
the world today. Population growth, like many other environmental issues, has two sides. One side
will claim that the population explosion is only a myth, while the other side will argue that the
population explosion is reality. Because of this, statistics concerning this subject vary widely. But, in
order to persuade, it is necessary to take one side or the other. Thus, statistics may be questioned as
to their validity, even though the statistics come from credible sources.
Lifeboat Ethics
The United States is the most populous country in the world, behind only China and India. Unlike
China and India though, the United States is the fastest growing industrialized nation. The United
States' population expands so quickly because of the imbalance between migration and immigration,
and births and deaths. For example, in 1992, 4.1 million babies were born. Weighing this statistic
against the number of deaths and the number of people who entered and left the country, the result
was that the United States obtained 2.8 million more people than it had gotten rid of (Douglis 12).
Population increases place great strain on the American society and more particularly it
Get more content on HelpWriting.net