Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/263680 
Year of Publication: 
1995
Citation: 
[Journal:] International Journal of Social Economics [ISSN:] 0306-8293 [Volume:] 22 [Issue:] 6 [Publisher:] Emerald Publishing [Place:] Bingley [Year:] 1995 [Pages:] 3-16
Publisher: 
Emerald Publishing, Bingley
Abstract: 
Economists are divided about population growth: the pessimism of neo-Malthusians contrasts strongly with the optimism of cornucopians. Despite their differences, both schools of thought reject economic orthodoxy and prefer evolutionary forms of theory. Their interpretations of evolution are different: the neo-Malthusians appeal to the entropy law, whereas the cornucopians emphasise human creativity expressed through markets. This paper argues that both schools are right to adopt an evolutionary outlook, but that they are too restrictive in their conception of evolution. A more complete evolutionary view, which allows properly for social institutions, could give a more balanced account of population growth.
Subjects: 
population growth
neo-Malthusians
cornucopians
economic evolution
markets
institutions
JEL: 
B52
B53
J10
J11
Q56
Q57
Published Version’s DOI: 
Document Type: 
Article
Document Version: 
Accepted Manuscript (Postprint)
Appears in Collections:

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.