Population and the Environment - (Predictions of population growth ☀️) Flashcards
What is the main idea of the Malthusian theory?
Population grows faster than food supply, leading to famine, war, and disease.
Who proposed the Malthusian theory and when?
Thomas Malthus, in 1798.
What is an example that supports the Malthusian theory?
The 19th-century Irish Potato Famine – rapid population growth + reliance on one crop led to mass starvation.
How does the Sahel region in Africa support Malthusian ideas?
Population growth has outpaced food production, contributing to famine, overgrazing, and land degradation.
What do Neo-Malthusians believe?
Population growth still threatens resources today, especially in developing countries, leading to environmental degradation and poverty.
How do Neo-Malthusians differ from Malthus?
They consider modern issues like environmental damage, not just food shortages.
What is an example that supports Neo-Malthusian theory?
Rapid urbanisation in India – overpopulation strains water, food, and energy supplies, causing pollution and slum growth.
How does climate change support Neo-Malthusian concerns?
Population pressure intensifies environmental damage (e.g., deforestation in the Amazon), reinforcing limits to growth.
What is Ester Boserup’s theory?
“Necessity is the mother of invention” – population growth drives technological advances in food production.
What’s a key example supporting Boserup’s theory?
The Green Revolution (1940s–1960s) – population growth in Asia drove the development of high-yield crops and fertilizers.
How does China support Boserup’s theory?
Faced with feeding a huge population, China invested in agricultural tech and became a top food producer.
What did Julian Simon argue about population growth?
Humans are the “ultimate resource” – more people mean more innovation and problem-solving.
How did Julian Simon challenge Malthusian thinking?
He believed resource scarcity leads to innovation, not disaster.
What is an example that supports Julian Simon’s theory?
Falling prices of natural resources like copper and oil after 1980 – innovation made extraction and substitutes cheaper.
How does global food production support Simon’s optimism?
Despite population growth, global food supply per person has increased due to better technology and logistics.
