Population and Food
Michael Itagaki
Sociology 102, Social Problems
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

How many people in the U.S.



Each day, Americans buy an average of
Eggs:


58,863,993
Orville Redenbacher popcorn


303 million
978,030
Large Fries at Burger King

443,650
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

Demography

Studies the size, composition, growth
and distribution of human populations
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

World Population




Abrupt increases: ex. population in Europe
1750—140 million people
1800—188 million people
1850—256 million people
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

World Population



Why the increase?
Improved public health
Thomas McKeown


Infanticide practice declined after 1750
Why?
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

Demography


Studies the size, composition, growth
and distribution of human populations
Relationship between population
and the environment
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

Thomas Malthus (1798)
 An Essay on the Principle of Population


Population grows exponentially
2 to 4 to 8 to 16… = 2x
Food supply increases arithmetically
1 to 2 to 3 to 4… = x+1
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

Thomas Malthus (1798)






Exponential growth: Penny example
1 day, 1 cent; 2 days, 2 cents; 3 days, 4 cents
One week = $
1.28
Two weeks = $
163.84
Three weeks = $ 20,971.52
Four weeks = $2,684,354.56
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

New Malthusians

Exponential population growth curve
Figure 13.1 (p. 424)
World Population: The Exponential Growth Curve
Sources: Piotrow 1973: 4; Haub 1995, 2004.
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

New Malthusians



Exponential population growth curve
Population will outgrow food supply
Anti-Malthusians


Exponential population growth curve
is wrong
People adapt to the environment
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

Anti-Malthusians


Rational planning for having children
Increased food production


Technology/Agriculture
Ex.: Europe’s demographic transition
Figure 13-3
Figure 13.3 (p. 426)
The Demographic Transition
Source: By the author.
Figure 13.1 (p. 424)
World Population: The Exponential Growth Curve
Sources: Piotrow 1973: 4; Haub 1995, 2004.
The Problem in
Sociological Perspective

Anti-Malthusians


Growth is slowing down
Demographic transition for rest of world
The Scope of the Problem

New-Malthusians



Population growth = not enough food
Solution: limit population
Anti-Malthusians


More food available now than ever
Solution: Redistribution of food
(political barriers)
Symbolic Interactionism

Why do the poor want so many children?


Asset to the family
Taking the role of the other
Figure 13.6 (p. 432)
Why the Poor in the Least Industrialized Nations Want Many Children
Based on a survey in Indonesia, this figure shows how children are economic assets in the
Least Industrialized Nations. Boys and girls can be net income earners for their families by
the age of 9 or 10.
Source: U.N. Fund for Population Activities.
Functionalism

War, famine, disease are functional to society

Latent dysfunctions


Modern medicine
Public health practices
Figure 13.3 (p. 426)
The Demographic Transition
Source: By the author.
Figure 13.7 (p. 433)
Population Pyramids of Mexico and the United States
Source: By the author. Computed from the U.S. Bureau of the Census, International Data Base, Table 94.
Conflict Theory

Power arrangements favor industrialized
nations

Ex. U.S. & Canada control 60% of wheat
Sell surpluses for highest profit…
 not to the most needy
 Leaving farm land fallow: profit vs.
production

Research Findings

New Malthusians
Figure 13.1 (p. 424)
World Population: The Exponential Growth Curve
Sources: Piotrow 1973: 4; Haub 1995, 2004.
Research Findings

New Malthusians
 The
earth’s three natural systems
 Limited carrying capacity
Research Findings

New Malthusians
 Fishing
Grounds
 Forests
 Grasslands
Research Findings

New Malthusians
 Major
Dangers
 Disease
of Specialized Strains
 Intensification of natural disasters
 World peace threatened:
Research Findings

Anti Malthusians
Figure 13.3 (p. 426)
The Demographic Transition
Source: By the author.
Research Findings

Anti Malthusians
 Large
populations are good
 Food production is outpacing population
growth
Figure 13.4 (p. 428)
How Much Food Does the World Produce Per Person?
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Simon 1981: 58; Statistical Abstract 1988: Table 1411; 1998: Tables 1380,
1381, 1382, 1383; recomputed to 1948-52 base. Note: Projections from 1997 on are the author's.
Immigration and the
U.S. Population Composition




Proportion of immigrants in the U.S. population
is the highest since 1940
Immigration will account for two-thirds of the
population growth in the next 50 years
Immigration leads to higher taxes but also brings
substantial economic benefits
U.S. population policies focus on immigration –
particularly illegal immigrants
Discussion Question

Should the United States Should simply
close its doors to all immigrants?
 What
would be the consequences of doing
so?
 How would such a move reflect on our
national values and priorities?
Figure 13.13a (p. 443)
Density of Selected Countries (continued on next two slides)
Figure 13.13b (cont.)
Figure 13.13c (cont.)