Population & Prosperity [was: Gas Prices - give me a break!]

Christopher Witmer cdwitmer@spamcop.net
Fri, 08 Dec 2000 09:41:43 +0900


Delwin D Fandrich wrote:
> The world does not have enough resources to provide
> our normal life-style for everybody.  To live the way the average person
> lives in our western society requires that approximately 3/5th of the
> world's population remains in poverty.

Here are some useful books on the subject:

How Many People Can the Earth Support
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393314952/o/qid=976233445/sr=8-1/ref=aps_sr_b_1_3/107-0725418-0328526

A Concise History of World Population
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0631204555/ref=sim_books/107-0725418-0328526

Basically, the population debate is polarized into two camps, which may
be broadly categorized as the followers of Thomas Malthus (zero
population growth crowd) and the followers of Adam Smith (no limits to
growth crowd). (There's nothing like a dead economist to stir up
controversy, eh?) As a Christian, I have some strong disagreements with
both groups, which basically ignore God completely in their
presuppositions. For me to simply accept either camp's presuppositions
uncritically would contradict my own belief in the providence of God.
But regardless of one's position, both of the above books are among the
more balanced introductions to the subject currently in print.

There is at least one group in Japan which recycles pianos (decent ones,
not clinkers fit only for the scrap heap) for donation to schools,
orphanages, etc. in third world countries. (I don't know how well they
are maintained at the final destination -- anyone know about the status
of piano maintenance in third world countries?) Are there similar
organizations in North America, Europe or Australia?


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