Two hundred years ago, Thomas Malthus, in An Essay on the Principle of Population, reached the conclusion that the number of people in the world will increase exponentially, while the ability to feed these people will only increase arithmetically (21). There is evidence shows that this theory may not be far from the truth. For example in New York City alone the population has went from 3.6 million in 1950 to 8.9 million in 1990. Also strengthening to Malthus" argument is the theory that the world population will increase to over 10 billion by 2050, two times what it was in 1990 (Bongaarts 36). Demographers predict that 2.8 billion people were added to the world population between 1950 and 1990. Between 1990 and 2030, it is estimated that another 3.6 billion will be added. (Brown 31). Moreover, in the 18th century, New York City's population growth was 0.34%; it increased to 0.54% in the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century to 0.84% (Weiskel 40). New York is recieveing a robust propotion of the total imigration into this country. .
However radical named Hardin theories may be, current evidence shows that he may not be too far off the mark. It is hardly arguable that the population has increased in the past few decades, for current statistics show that this actually is the case. Equally revealing, is the fact that vast amounts of land are being transformed into more living space. More people means more waste, more pollution, and more development. With this taken into consideration, it seems that Hardin's teachings should no longer fall on deaf ears. .
When discussing the issue of population, it is important to note that it is one of the most controversial issues facing the world today. Population growth, like many other environmental issues, has two sides. One side will claim that the population explosion is only a myth, while the other side will argue that the population explosion is reality.
