malthusian-theory
The idea that population growth inevitably outstrips food production, resulting in poverty and starvation.
1 chapter across 1 book
The High Road (1981)Ben Bova
The chapter addresses the critical issue of population pressure as the fundamental cause of global crises including resource depletion, environmental degradation, and social instability, drawing on authoritative reports like The Limits to Growth and Global 2000. It situates these concerns within the historical Malthusian theory of population growth outpacing food production and critiques the prevailing assumption that Earth's finite resources are the only solution space, introducing the 'Flat-Earth Fallacy' and advocating for the potential of space resources to alleviate Earth's limitations. The chapter also reflects on the initial optimism of space exploration post-Moon landing and the subsequent decline in enthusiasm, highlighting the tension between rich and poor nations over growth control and resource distribution.