When discussing population and demographics, two opposite theories came to fruition, namely, the Cornucopian theory and the Malthusian theory. When looking at population issues, it makes far more sense for one to be pro-Malthusian than Cornucopian. This is due to the carrying capacity, positive and preventative checks, and overpopulation not leading to new innovations. The Cornucopian theory is optimistic to the point of naivety, and as such the Malthusian theory should be seriously considered when discussing population issues.
One should be pro-Malthusian as the carrying capacity is a legitimate threat to human well-being. A Cornucopian would attest to the fact that the world does not have a carrying capacity; they would cite the fact that …show more content…
However, if these measures are not taken, then positive checks such as war and famine will occur. This can be shown in action throughout history. For example, Kerala managed to lower its fertility rate through the use of preventative checks such as education and healthcare, which thusly caused this region of India to avoid positive checks. During the hunting and gathering stage, it was common for positive checks to effect population; for example, when a group became far too big and used too many resources, there would be famine in later years. Even during the Industrial Revolution, disease became far more common as resources were misused. Overall, the Malthusian theory makes sense as there is historical evidence of positive and preventative checks when populations get too high and resources become …show more content…
For example, India is a nation that is overpopulated, and should be at a prime stage to innovate and fix any issues that arise. However, this is not the case. India is suffering from the demographic trap, which is when a country cannot afford to invest in programs that would increase development, as they must continuously provide for their growing population. As such, India's population continuous growth leads them away from new innovations, instead of towards them. As stated previously, the amount of land available for agricultural use is diminishing; unlike common Cornucopian thought, however, no new innovations are being made to get over this hurdle. As such, instead of waiting for an innovation that may never come, it is imperative to put in place the preventive checks of Malthusian
One should be pro-Malthusian as the carrying capacity is a legitimate threat to human well-being. A Cornucopian would attest to the fact that the world does not have a carrying capacity; they would cite the fact that …show more content…
However, if these measures are not taken, then positive checks such as war and famine will occur. This can be shown in action throughout history. For example, Kerala managed to lower its fertility rate through the use of preventative checks such as education and healthcare, which thusly caused this region of India to avoid positive checks. During the hunting and gathering stage, it was common for positive checks to effect population; for example, when a group became far too big and used too many resources, there would be famine in later years. Even during the Industrial Revolution, disease became far more common as resources were misused. Overall, the Malthusian theory makes sense as there is historical evidence of positive and preventative checks when populations get too high and resources become …show more content…
For example, India is a nation that is overpopulated, and should be at a prime stage to innovate and fix any issues that arise. However, this is not the case. India is suffering from the demographic trap, which is when a country cannot afford to invest in programs that would increase development, as they must continuously provide for their growing population. As such, India's population continuous growth leads them away from new innovations, instead of towards them. As stated previously, the amount of land available for agricultural use is diminishing; unlike common Cornucopian thought, however, no new innovations are being made to get over this hurdle. As such, instead of waiting for an innovation that may never come, it is imperative to put in place the preventive checks of Malthusian