Lebensraum

Paradoxically, Population Growth May Eventually End Wars

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6284012
AutoresJulian L Simon (University of Maryland, autor de correspondencia)
Año1989
Volumen33
Número1
Páginas164-180
Fecha de publicación1989-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Conflict Resolution (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0022-0027 • E-ISSN: 1552-8766
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0022002789033001007
PMID12342301
OpenAlexW2047395484
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas8
Referencias citadas13

Population growth may progressively reduce one of the motives for making war. Namely, population growth threatens shortages of resources, and especially land. Impending shortages cause a search for ways to mitigate the shortages. The discoveries eventually produce greater availability of resources than if population growth and pressure on resources had never occurred. The argument runs as follows: (1) Rhetoric about resource scarcity induced by population density has often contributed to international conflict, even if economics has not been the main motive in making war. (2) In the pre-modern era, war to obtain land and other natural resources may sometimes have been an economically sound policy. (3) Politicians and others in industrially developed nations believe resources may still be a casus belli. (4) Land and other productive resources are no longer worth acquiring at the cost of war

Argument (complex analysis · Development economics · Economic growth · Economic shortage · Economics · Market economy · Natural resource economics · Political science · Population · Population growth · Rhetoric · Scarcity · Sociology · Demography · Public health and occupational medicine