Population, Economic Growth, and Agriculture in Less Developed Countries (Routledge Studies in Development Economics, 23)

In 1950 the world population was 2.5 billion; fifty years later there are over 6 billion people. The demographic of this explosion has essentially occurred in the developing areas of the world. The key to understanding many contemporary development problems that have arisen from this rapid growth is in understanding the relationships between population and the economy. This book offers an analysis of such relationships, encompassing a review of the major positions in the academic debate. Population, Economic Growth and Agriculture in Less Developed Countries will serve as a useful introduction and reference tool for students, academics and all with an interest in the population debate and economics. "In 1950 the world population was 2.5 billion; fifty years later there are over 6 billion people. This demographic explosion has essentially occurred in the developing areas of the world. The key to understanding many contemporary development problems that have arisen from this rapid growth is in understanding the relationships between population and the economy." "This book offers an analysis of such relationships, encompassing a review of the major positions in the academic debate. Nadia Cuffaro begins with Malthus and the population implications of the Solow model and then discusses the theoretical background of the less pessimistic ('revisionist') positions in the population debate. Part Two considers population growth in relation to agriculture and focuses on technical progress and institutional adjustments. It is argued that simple functionalism leads to a misrepresentation of the problems and that there are many possible adjustment failures linked to the research system, property rights on land and poverty that greatly affect the environmental resource base. Finally the author looks to the future to consider biotechnology and the challenges for world agriculture." "Population, Economic Growth and Agriculture in Less Developed Countries will serve as a useful introduction and reference tool for students, academics and all with an interest in the population debate and development economics."--Résumé de l'éditeur "In 1950 the world population was 2.5 billion; fifty years later there are over 6 billion people. This demographic explosion has essentially occurred in the developing areas of the world. The key to understanding many contemporary development problems that have arisen from this rapid growth is in understanding the relationships between population and the economy.". "This book offers an analysis of such relationships, encompassing a review of the major positions in the academic debate. Nadia Cuffaro begins with Malthus and the population implications of the Solow model and then discusses the theoretical background of the less pessimistic ('revisionist') positions in the population debate. Part Two considers population growth in relation to agriculture and focuses on technical progress and institutional adjustments. It is argued that simple functionalism leads to a misrepresentation of the problems and that there are many possible adjustment failures linked to the research system, property rights on land and poverty that greatly affect the environmental resource base. Finally the author looks to the future to consider biotechnology and the challenges for world agriculture.". "Population, Economic Growth and Agriculture in Less Developed Countries will serve as a useful introduction and reference tool for students, academics and all with an interest in the population debate and development economics."--BOOK JACKET. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 List of figures......Page 8 List of tables......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 12 Introduction......Page 14 Population growth and economic development......Page 20 Population pessimism......Page 22 'Revisionism': theoretical background......Page 40 Population growth and agriculture in less developed countries......Page 76 Endogenous technical progress in agriculture......Page 78 The response of institutions......Page 100 Adjustment failures......Page 123 Environmental implications......Page 136 Future challenges for world agriculture......Page 146 Conclusions......Page 158 Notes......Page 161 Bibliography......Page 169 Index......Page 182 This book offers an analysis of the relationship between population and the economy, encompassing a review of the major positions in the academic debate Malthus's An Essay on the Principle of Population was first published in 1798 and then in six successive editions.