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>From: Steve Kurtz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
> POPULATION GROWTH IS PIVOTAL ISSUE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
> by Georgie Anne Geyer
>
> WASHINGTON -- It's not working.
> For years, people who were against family planning could argue, and
> hope, and pretend, and weave tales about the glories of open grasslands
> in Kazakhstan as an answer to the world's population problem -- and some
> people listened.
> But now, in a sudden rush of new information about both population
> pressures and the Earth's sheer sustainability, we can clearly see how
> foolishly self-destructive that approach has been and continues to be.
> (snip)
Hi Steve:
I just read the article you suggested and what I found most interesting is:
The fact is that we know now what works in developing peoples and countries
to limit population growth: a reasonably non-corrupt representative
government, appropriate forms of economic freedom, a just legal system, a
wise diversification of economic resources and income, a high investment in
education, women's rights AND family planning.
Thomas:
It would seem to me, that if we know what works and the above 7 points do
not seem so drastic that we couldn't - through the UN decide that each
country must re-align their political systems, create the structures
mentioned above and solve the biggest problem facing mankind
-overpopulation. Given the alternatives, wars, starvation, misuse of
resources, the above changes seem quite benign.
Quote:
A prime example: Arab Tunisia on the northern coast of Africa had 4 million
people in 1957 when it gained independence from France; with a strong family
planning program, it now has 9 million people and is one of the
fastest-developing countries in the world. Its neighbor Algeria also had
about 4 million in 1957; today it has 30 million people and is ensnared in
seemingly endless civil war and chaos. There are many such examples.
Thomas:
I know it has been postulated before, but I think it is time, perhaps
evolutionary to make a conscious decision to outlaw war. If that requires a
world police force, so be it. Law and order, good government, good use of
unsustainable resources and deliberate use of sustainable resources only
make common sense. Forget the economies of the marketplace in which we use
a half a gallon of gas to go the the convience store to pick up a pack of
cigerattes, it's time to bring in a higher level criteria other than just we
can do it and keep the price down.
Respectfully,
Thomas Lunde
>
