Editorial 17: 7000 Millions need more citizenship and less intervention.
The human population has grown steadily since the early nineteenth century were achieved the first 1000 million (1804), to pass the two billion (1927); to 3000 million (1959); to 4000 million (1974); to 5000 million (1987), to 6000 million (1998), and we reach 7 billion (2011).
The time periods to increase the population in 1000 million, have been reduced. So to get from 0 to 1000 million took about 150.000 years and spend about 1000 to 2000 (124 years) from 2000 to 3000 (32 years) from 3000 to 4000 (15 years) from 4000 to 5000 (13 years); 5000-6000 (11 years) from 6000 to 7000 (14)
We observe an ancient period and modern two clearly defined periods. The period covers about 10,000 years old since the introduction of agriculture and livestock in the Middle East and the Far East, until the nineteenth century. The first modern period 1800 to 1960 with periods of 124 and 32 years respectively for every 1000 billion new inhabitants and a second period from 1960 to 2011 with periods of 11 to 15 years per 1000 million new inhabitants.
Demographic forecasts hold periods of 14 to 18 years for new increments of 1000 million new inhabitants (in 2025 reaching the 8000 and 9000 in 2043)
In this sense we say that population growth has stabilized but there are two reasons for the imbalance in the horizon, the increase in per capita consumption in many countries, the vicious circle of inequality, poverty, food insecurity and high birth rates in other countries. The newspapers are full of news about pollution on environmental conditions and nutritional imbalances in the first group of countries and conflicts, famines, mass migrations and epidemics are a reflection of the effect of the vicious circle mentioned in the other countries.
Like Malthus, in the nineteenth century, today there are specialists who propose solutions to this alarming situation. This aims to reduce food intake, reducing arable land and reduce water consumption and other natural resources.
Fortunately, 62% of the land is available, as only 38% of ice-free land is cultivated, and we have almost 100% of the sea surface able to be considered productive area of protein and vegetables. So although respecting a reasonable percentage of land dedicated to the protection of nature, we have available land enough and we have developed safe and productive technologies.
So from a nutritional point of view we are able to provide adequate food, both in quantity and quality for future generations. We only lack one thing, political intention to do it, to implement educational programs and use of available technologies avoiding red tape, which in most cases are nothing but instruments of interventionism disguised as law.
This heightens the need for fundamental reform of state and supranational structures to guide them towards service to citizens and away from the service of political parties and lobby groups that support them. In summary with 7000 million people need more role of the citizenry and less intervention.