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Viewpoint: Sustainability: Malthus revisited?

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  • James A. Brander

Abstract

. The sustainability debate concerns whether the world will experience stable or improving living standards for the foreseeable future, or whether the current trajectory will overtax the natural environment, leading to a ‘crash’ in living standards. This paper selectively reviews relevant research, focusing on both ecological concerns and technological progress, and asks whether sustainability would be problematic without rapid population growth. I suggest that continued demographic transition to lower fertility is the primary requirement for achieving sustainable development. This is, effectively, a modern translation of Malthus (1798). The paper also discusses the role of the Malthusian cycle in human evolution. Le débat sur la durabilité pose la question à savoir si le monde va faire l’expérience d’un accroissement des niveaux de vie dans un avenir prévisible ou si la trajectoire présente va vite pressurer l’environnement naturel et engendrer une chute des niveaux de vie? Ce texte fait une revue sélective de la recherche pertinente, mettant l’accent sur les problèmes écologiques et le progrès technologique, et se demande si la durabilité serait problématique si l’on n’avait pas une croissance démographique rapide. L’auteur suggère que la transition démographique continue vers une fécondité plus faible est le prérequis primordial dans la quête d’un développement durable. Il s’agit d’une version moderne de Malthus (1798). Ce texte discute aussi du rôle du cycle malthusien dans l’évolution humaine.

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  • James A. Brander, 2007. "Viewpoint: Sustainability: Malthus revisited?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(1), pages 1-38, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:40:y:2007:i:1:p:1-38
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.00398.x
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    1. Stephen P. Barrows, 2010. "The Law of Population and the Austrian School," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 69(4), pages 1178-1205, October.
    2. Bazhanov, Andrei, 2008. "Inconsistency between a criterion and the initial conditions," MPRA Paper 6792, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Bazhanov, Andrei, 2007. "Switching to a sustainable efficient extraction path," MPRA Paper 2976, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Begüm Güler & Füsun Küçükbay, 2022. "Does Inclusion in the Sustainability Index Contribute to the Financial Performance of the Companies: Evidence from Developing Countries," Journal of Economy Culture and Society, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 66(66), pages 307-317, December.
    5. N. P. Hariram & K. B. Mekha & Vipinraj Suganthan & K. Sudhakar, 2023. "Sustainalism: An Integrated Socio-Economic-Environmental Model to Address Sustainable Development and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-37, July.
    6. Bazhanov, Andrei, 2008. "Sustainable growth in a resource-based economy: the extraction-saving relationship," MPRA Paper 12350, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Pani, Ratnakar & Mukhopadhyay, Ujjaini, 2013. "Management accounting approach to analyse energy related CO2 emission: A variance analysis study of top 10 emitters of the world," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 639-655.
    8. Lafuite, A.-S. & Loreau, M., 2017. "Time-delayed biodiversity feedbacks and the sustainability of social-ecological systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 351(C), pages 96-108.
    9. Liu Xiangbo & Levy Ting & Chao Chi-Chur & Zhang Mengbo, 2017. "Is Population Growth Bad for the Environment?," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 17(3), pages 1-14, July.
    10. Anamika Barua & Bandana Khataniar, 2015. "Strong or weak sustainability: a case study of emerging Asia," Asia-Pacific Development Journal, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), vol. 22(1), pages 1-31, June.
    11. Bazhanov, Andrei, 2008. "Sustainable growth: Compatibility between criterion and the initial state," MPRA Paper 9914, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • J10 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - General

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