The Population Bomb
Paul and Anne Ehrlich's 1968 warning of famine from overpopulation.
At a glance
Key ideas
Zero growth, The US should lead, Triage …
See all 4Criticism
Failed predictions, India, Julian Simon and Hans Rosling …
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Paul R. Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich
See all 2
Also on this page: Key facts · Links · Sources · Related pages
- The book opens by declaring that "the battle to feed all of humanity is over" and that hundreds of millions would starve in the 1970s.
- The Ehrlichs argue that population was outgrowing food and straining the natural world, and call for bringing growth to zero or below.
- They propose that the US lead on population control, and a "triage" of food aid that would cut off countries such as India.
- The famines it predicted did not happen.
Why it matters
- It brought population fears to a mass audience and shaped policy in the 1960s and 1970s; it is now the classic example of a failed catastrophic forecast.
Key facts
- Authors
- Paul R. Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich; the publisher insisted on crediting Paul alone1
- Published
- 19681
- Origin
- Suggested by David Brower of the Sierra Club and Ian Ballantine of Ballantine Books1
- Their title
- Population, Resources, and Environment, changed at the publisher's request1
- Sales
- Over two million copies1
Key ideas
-
Zero growth1
"We must rapidly bring the world population under control, reducing the growth rate to zero or making it negative."
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The US should lead1
As the biggest consumer, the US had a duty to lead population control.
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Triage1
Food aid only for countries that could become self-sufficient, cutting off those judged hopeless, such as India.
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Maybe wrong1
They acknowledged their forecasts might be wrong but said their prescriptions would help anyway.
Criticism
-
Failed predictions1
The global death rate kept falling and calories per person rose; there were regional famines but no world famine.
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India1
India's food output rose sharply in the Green Revolution; a prediction was cut from the 1971 edition.
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Julian Simon and Hans Rosling1
Argued the forecasts assumed endless exponential growth and no technological or social change.
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Jonathan Last1
Called it "one of the most spectacularly foolish books ever published".
Connections
Written by
- Paul R. EhrlichPerson
- Anne H. EhrlichCo-author, uncredited on the original cover
Links
Sources
Last checked against its sources today
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