Best population
May 5th, 2009 | Published in Economics idea | 4 Comments
I have seen many estimates of the carrying capacity of the planet. Writers try to identify the factors that limit human population and work out a maximum long-term sustainable population based on the availability of those factors.
While these studies are interesting, I think a better question to ask is what would be the best population in the long run. I don’t think the goal is to have as many people as is physically possible. Instead, I would start from a minimum sustainable human population, say 10,000, and only increase estimate of the best population if there is a good reason more people are needed.
There are plenty of reasons why the best human population should be higher than 10,000. For example, many of the technologies we rely on couldn’t be produced on that small a scale. My guess is that the best world population would be somewhere between 1 million and 100 million people.
With a population on this scale, most of the technologies we have today would be viable and environmental problems would be dramatically reduced.
May 11th, 2009 at 9:33 pm (#)
The communist Chinese are the most experienced nation on earth at population control and just look at their success. We are speeding toward a catastrophic disaster and the best don’t have a clue as to what to do about it.
This little video will add a bit of fuel to the fire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3X5hIFXYU
May 12th, 2009 at 9:58 am (#)
I agree that population management is one of our biggest problems. I’m more concerned about resource depletion than becoming a minority, though.
May 16th, 2009 at 3:45 pm (#)
It is a toss up as to which comes first, we will be overrun by the Muslim hordes or run out of fresh water.
In reality, I believe we’ll have world war over unemployment in the near future. The grossly over populated countries will, of necessity, have to take drastic measures to to maintain even the status quo and the US and Canadian resources at a prime target.
Buckle Up!
May 18th, 2009 at 4:26 pm (#)
I agree that resource shortages could trigger wars. Apparently the pentagon has been studying this issue and coming up with scenarios. Let’s just hope the nukes stay in the silos.