In 2001 the UN had revised its past world population growth prognoses. Already in 2043 and not in 2052, nine billion people will live on earth. (Coiplet, 2001, Homepage). These prognoses are based on the fact that since 1960 the population of the world are more than doubled. In this rapid growth many positive developments are reflected, which improved the life circumstances of many people considerably. Thus the number of child deaths sank drastically worldwide. The life expectancy of 48 years in 1955 has risen to 65 years in 2000. People are on the average healthier and better nourished than ever before. The part of people, who suffer on chronic malnutrition in developing countries, sank in this period from approximately forty to twenty per cent. (DSW, 2001a, Homepage) Simultaneously the natural resources have changed dramatically. Water and air pollution increase as well as the overuse of farmland and the global warming. Besides the world population development creates new social areas of conflict (migration and refugee movements, poverty, etc.), as well as new political and economical conflicts (resource wars, risen gab between poverty and wealth, etc.). This essay examines the development of the world population, their effects on the poverty and malnutrition, the causes of the population explosion and the present national and international activities and projects to contain this problem. [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Is the world overpopulated?
3. Consequences of the population of over - hunger
4. Causes of the overpopulation
5. Measures on national and international level
6. Resume
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This essay aims to analyze the global population development and its complex interactions with poverty and malnutrition. It examines the causes of rapid population growth, evaluates historical and contemporary theories regarding overpopulation, and assesses the effectiveness of national and international strategies designed to mitigate these challenges.
- Demographic transition theory and its application to developing countries
- Malthusian perspectives on population growth and food scarcity
- Structural causes of hunger and global food distribution
- Factors influencing family size and the role of education and women's empowerment
- Evaluation of population control policies and international development initiatives
Excerpt from the Book
Consequences of the population of over - hunger
The vision of an overpopulated and underfed planet had been developed by Thomas Robert Malthus in his “Essay of the principle of population as it affects the future improvement of society” in 1798. (Malthus, 1798, Homepage) That was a time, when England was characterized by the agricultural era and the industrial revolution began. Malthu’s doctrine stated that the population would grow exponentially, while the quantity of grain would increase only linear. Therefore it must inevitably lead to hunger emergencies.
Hunger is a problem without an end. Only the modern economy could reduce this lack. In addition it actually succeeded to reduce the percentage of those inhabitants, which suffer from malnutrition from 29 percent to 18 percent within the last 20 years. (Haas, 2001, Homepage). Due to the population growth the absolute number of undernourished people did not change particularly. About 815 million people are undernourished and 20,000 children starve every day. According to FAO the number of those people has risen considerably in most developing countries during the nineties (Haas, 2001, Homepage). Inevitably the question is been forced, if nevertheless Malthus is right, that those people could be help by an increase of food production?
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of global population growth since 1960 and highlights the dual nature of these trends, involving both improvements in life expectancy and new socio-economic conflicts.
2. Is the world overpopulated?: The author explores the historical trend of exponential population growth and discusses the demographic transition theory, contrasting the European experience with the specific challenges faced by developing nations.
3. Consequences of the population of over - hunger: This section investigates the relationship between population density and food availability, critically examining Malthusian theory and the structural reasons behind global hunger.
4. Causes of the overpopulation: The analysis identifies key drivers of population growth, such as age structure, access to family planning, and the socio-economic necessity of children in less developed agrarian societies.
5. Measures on national and international level: This part reviews policy interventions, focusing on China's restrictive population control measures and the paradigm shift toward reproductive health and women's empowerment initiated at the Cairo Conference.
6. Resume: The final section summarizes the main findings, concluding that effective development strategies must integrate poverty reduction with reproductive health initiatives rather than relying solely on birth control.
Keywords
Population Growth, Poverty, Malnutrition, Demographic Transition, Malthus, Food Security, Family Planning, Underdevelopment, Reproductive Health, Cairo Conference, Overpopulation, Global South
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this study?
The paper examines the correlation between global population growth, poverty, and malnutrition, specifically questioning whether overpopulation is the primary driver of these social issues.
What are the central thematic fields covered in this work?
The study covers demographic theories, the history of world population trends, the structural causes of hunger, the role of government policy in population control, and international development frameworks.
What is the primary research objective?
The main objective is to determine if high population growth causes poverty and to evaluate if birth control measures alone are sufficient to improve living conditions in developing regions.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The work utilizes a literature-based analysis of demographic theories and evaluates historical data, statistical reports, and international conference findings to draw its conclusions.
What is the main topic of the analysis in the middle section?
The middle section evaluates the validity of Malthusian theory regarding resource scarcity and critiques the structural problems in the global agricultural economy that lead to hunger.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include population growth, demographic transition, malnutrition, poverty, food security, and reproductive health.
How does the author characterize China's approach to population control?
The author describes China's approach as a restrictive, state-led management system that successfully reduced growth rates but was accompanied by significant human rights concerns and social resistance in rural areas.
What impact did the Cairo Conference have on international population policy?
The Cairo Conference marked a turning point by shifting the focus from purely demographic, top-down birth control goals to a rights-based approach, emphasizing women's empowerment and reproductive health.
- Quote paper
- Olesja Büchner (Author), 2003, Population growth and poverty, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/22134
