There is one -- and only one -- reason for the present gross
over-population of the world and the under-nourished and starving
billions herein. It is Western medicine (plus Western plant genetics
much more recently). If we date the start of this at around
1700-1750, the dawn of the industrial revolution, it has caused world
population to grow tenfold from 700 million to 7 billion today -- and
still growing.
It could be argued that, in 1750, the world population was already
over-populated. At that time, every possible square metre of the
earth's surface that could be practically cultivated by manual and/or
animal labour was already exploited for food production. Steep
mountain sides up to about a 40 degree elevation were terraced and,
where there were available aquifers or underground streams, even
rain-free desert areas were used to the hilt. Populations, constantly
tending to grow, were mainly kept in check by disease, particularly
in childhood and old age, and more occasionally by droughts or other
natural visitations. The world population was largely in a new state
of balance just as the hunter-gatherer world population had been
12,000 years ago before systematic agriculture was invented, albeit
then at a much smaller figure (50 million? 100 million?)
Nevertheless, the new largely stabilized agricultural population of
around 700 million was initially disrupted by Western merchants. With
their recently developed and highly steerable sailing vessels, they
were able to visit every coastline where desirable natural products
were available in exchange for industrial goods. Very soon the
individual adventurer merchants were overtaken by major trading
corporations who not only set up depots and built vast plantations
and factories but also persuaded their governments to send naval
vessels and regiments to protect their new interests.
The well-educated administrative personnel of Western trading
corporations were principally interested in making money, of course,
and weren't much interested in the physical welfare of those they
were exploiting. However, being of the same class as the Western
missionary doctors and nurses who quickly followed them, the traders
naturally gave them full scope in their activities. Whether in saving
lives or souls, the new wave of worthy individuals were hardly to be
considered as competitors. Indeed, in saving many lives of women in
childbirth or children in their early years, Western missionary
doctors and nurses were ensuring that the workforces in factories and
plantations could only grow from then onwards. It validated the idea
of the permanent exploitation of these native folks.
It was not to be permanent, of course. But the main point has been
made and here I can jump straight back to the present time because we
have now almost reached another stage of population
stabilization. Major rivers suitable for practical adjacent
agriculture are now running dry, underground fresh water basins and
streams are already almost fully exploited. Substantial extra
rainfall is hardly to be expected. What genetically-modified seed
manufacturers don't tell the public (like the Green Revolutionists of
40 years ago) is that even their wonder-plants require more water.
World food production has now largely stabilized and cannot possibly
be increased more than fractionally.
Whether the present world population of 7 billion will stabilize at
8, 9 or 10 billion in the 2030-50 era is really besides the point.
The world population is already beginning to stabilize and will
continue to do so. Whether 1, 2, 3 or 4 billion people die of
starvation before 2050 is hardly important. To be realistic, the
presently declining Western governmental and large-charity aid is to
be welcomed because it is only adding to useless hope here and there
around the world where, perhaps, there has been a particularly severe
regional drought. Temporary relief in one locality is only increasing
starvation somewhere else. Aid is not changing the essential dynamics
of world population. The otherwise kindly and well-meaning Thomas
Malthus was brutally right after all.
Keith
Keith Hudson, Saltford, England http://allisstatus.wordpress.com/2011/07/
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