iple of population, published in 1798, argue that food production could grow only at an arithmetical or linear rate, but population exhibit exponential growth. In contrast to linear growth, exponential growth generates huge number in a very short period of time. Because of exponential growth, a population can reach a habitat's carrying capacity in a surprising short period of time. Malthu thought famine must ensue: a world of growing chaos, anarchy, disease, and corruption as hungry refugees surge across borders and sail on rubber tubes in unfriendly seas in search for food as nations fight over scarce resources. Humanitarian disasters such ass the one in Rwanda are a herald of the new era of resource limits.But if these apocalyptic prophecies come true, it will not be simple, man has been too fruitful and has been multiplying too fast. Rwanda was the most densely populated country in Africa before the current civil erupted. Its Hutu and Tutsi people are battling over tribal hatred and political power, not for resources. Before the war, Rwanda was about to reap to a copious harvest when the killing started. In Haiti, as well as in Cuba, the situation is similar not prompted by lack of resources but rather by political and dictatorial regimes.Recent scientific studies confirm that the Earth's basic resources are vastly greater that what are needed to feed the10 billion people who are almost certain to inhabit the Earth by the middle of this century (Ralph Hardy, et al).The real threat is not that the Earth will run out of land, topsoil, or water, but that nations will fail to pursue the economic trade and research policies that can increase the production of food, limit environmental damage and ensure that resources reach the people who need them. Indeed, embracing the myth of environmental scarcity could ironically prompt governments to adopt policies that virtually guarantee that the apocalyptic future that environmentalist foretell re...
