Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: GovernmentShrinker
But population control is really separate issue from eugenics. Even a genetically outstanding population will be a pit of misery, if it keeps reproducing faster than it can grow its economy and education levels.

Population control does nothing to promote a free society or free markets. Somebody already made that bet for you, and you lost.

The bet was made in 1980 between biologist Paul Ehrlich and economist Paul Simon. Ehrlich, the author of The Population Bomb, believed that increasing population would bring disaster and perhaps extinction for the human race. Simon, an economist, reasoned that people are an asset, not a liability. They bet $1,000 on the prices of five common, but vital, raw materials such as grain and oil. If they became scarce, as Ehrlich predicted, the prices would rise. After ten years the prices of all five materials had dropped. Population was not the problem. Though there were more people, resources were more abundant. People were using or producing them more efficiently.

Where would you rather live-- North or South Korea? It’s not population that matters, but freedom. Free people produce more and better goods and more wealth, and wealthy nations treat the environment well.

26 posted on 10/02/2003 1:17:54 PM PDT by Mr. Silverback (Free Republic--Heartland Values, Think Tank Intellect.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies ]


To: Mr. Silverback
'Population control does nothing to promote a free society or free markets [...] Free people produce more and better goods and more wealth, and wealthy nations treat the environment well.' -Mr. Silverback

Liberty + Growing Populations = Prosperity

...Cool...Thanks...

69 posted on 10/02/2003 10:47:24 PM PDT by MayDay72 (Socialism Kills. Free Markets Feed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson