Naked Science Forum
General Science => General Science => Topic started by: Joe L. Ogan on 25/01/2010 19:05:16
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Will increase in birth rate lead to starvation of the human race? We have food shortage in much of the world today. If our population continues to increase, it is conceivable that there will come a point in time when there is just not enough food to supply everyone. Will we start killing each other for food? Will certain nations begin to control all production of food? Thanks for comments. Joe L. Ogan
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..... Will we start killing each other for food? Will certain nations begin to control all production of food? Thanks for comments. Joe L. Ogan
Take a look at what happened in Zimbabwe, but this was a case of bad land management of what was considered the bread basket of Africa.
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Yes
From "An Essay on the Principle of Population" by Thomas Malthus, 1798
"I think I may fairly make two postulata. First, That food is necessary to the existence of man. Secondly, That the passion between the sexes is necessary and will remain nearly in its present state. These two laws, ever since we have had any knowledge of mankind, appear to have been fixed laws of our nature, and, as we have not hitherto seen any alteration in them, we have no right to conclude that they will ever cease to be what they now are, without an immediate act of power in that Being who first arranged the system of the universe, and for the advantage of his creatures, still executes, according to fixed laws, all its various operations.
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Assuming then my postulata as granted, I say, that the power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man. Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio."
– Malthus 1798, Chapter 1
He also says in this work that the production of food will only increase linearly as opposed to the geometric increase in population.
So far, every time this postulation has been tested, it has proven to be true.