Ester Boserup 1965

Question 1

What does Ester Boserup state?

Answer 1

She states that subsistence farmers would intensify their food production when they needed more food to support a larger population.

Question 2

At which rate did she believe population increased at?

Answer 2

At a geometric rate (1, 2, 4, 8, 16)

Question 3

At which rate did she believe food supplies increased at?

Answer 3

She believed food supplies increased in response to population growth

Question 4

What did she believe would not happen then?

Answer 4

There would be no point of crisis so no overpopulation which would reduce the need for checks to occur.

Question 5

Positives of this theory?

Answer 5

The theory mirrors closely to which happened throughout history as human innovation and technological development has repeatedly invented new technology to cope with resources shortages. With machinery and fertiliser and energy production around solar panels.

Question 6

Negatives of this theory?

Answer 6

Her theory was based on a closed community which restricted migration and history of large scale migration in relation to resource shortages. The intensification of food production can also lead to over farming and furthermore a reduction in the available resources for a population.