Food Race
Encyclopedia
The Food Race refers to the relationship between food supply and human population postulated by Daniel Quinn
. Quinn advocates the view that human population, like all other animals, is controlled by food supply. Thus, larger populations are the result of more abundant food supplies. So, intensification of cultivation in response to population growth merely leads to still more population growth. Quinn compared this to the arms race
in the Cold War, noting that any increase in food supply was met with a corresponding increase in population. Like Garrett Hardin
, then, Quinn saw the only possible conclusions to the Food Race as either abandonment, or catastrophe.
The similarities between this concept and a Malthusian catastrophe
are obvious, but there are key differences. The primary problem in the Malthusian catastrophe is a population growing larger than its food supply can support; in Quinn's view, this is impossible, as population is a function of food supply, and not an independent variable. So, in some ways, Quinn's "Food Race" is in fact the opposite of the Malthusian problem. Quinn characterized Malthus' concern as, "How are we going to FEED all these people?" In juxtaposition, he stated the 'Quinnian problem' as "How are we going to stop PRODUCING all these people?"
The idea that human population is tied to food supply is contentious, however. Many biologists disagree with Quinn's assessment. While food supply certainly imposes an upper limit on population growth, they point out that culture, living standards, human intelligence and free will can impose lower, secondary limits to population growth. Critics also point out that the most significant population growth is occurring in the Third World, where regional food production is lowest. Meanwhile, the First World
, where food is most plentiful, is undergoing a decline in birth rates. Quinn has suggested this results from international food distribution and has claimed that the farms of the First World fuel population growth in the Third. United Nations projections that world population
will level off sometime in the near future also contradict Quinn's statements. In November 1998, Daniel Quinn made a video exploring these topics with Dr. Alan Thornhill of the Society for Conservation Biology, entitled, Food Production And Population Growth. Russell Hopfenberg has written at least two papers attempting to prove Quinn's ideas, one paper with David Pimentel entitled, "Human Population Numbers as a Function of Food Supply," and another, "Human Carrying Capacity is Determined by Food Availability." Hopfenberg has also made available a narrated slide show entitled "World Food and Human Population Growth." Jason Godesky wrote an article in 2005 entitled "The Opposite of Malthus," which attempted to ground Quinn's work in a more solid, scientific framework. This was criticized by Rob McMillin with, "If We Open the Seacocks, is the Ship Unseaworthy?"
Daniel Quinn
Daniel Quinn is an American writer described as an environmentalist. He is best known for his book Ishmael , which won the Turner Tomorrow Fellowship Award in 1991....
. Quinn advocates the view that human population, like all other animals, is controlled by food supply. Thus, larger populations are the result of more abundant food supplies. So, intensification of cultivation in response to population growth merely leads to still more population growth. Quinn compared this to the arms race
Arms race
The term arms race, in its original usage, describes a competition between two or more parties for the best armed forces. Each party competes to produce larger numbers of weapons, greater armies, or superior military technology in a technological escalation...
in the Cold War, noting that any increase in food supply was met with a corresponding increase in population. Like Garrett Hardin
Tragedy of the commons
The tragedy of the commons is a dilemma arising from the situation in which multiple individuals, acting independently and rationally consulting their own self-interest, will ultimately deplete a shared limited resource, even when it is clear that it is not in anyone's long-term interest for this...
, then, Quinn saw the only possible conclusions to the Food Race as either abandonment, or catastrophe.
The similarities between this concept and a Malthusian catastrophe
Malthusian catastrophe
A Malthusian catastrophe was originally foreseen to be a forced return to subsistence-level conditions once population growth had outpaced agricultural production...
are obvious, but there are key differences. The primary problem in the Malthusian catastrophe is a population growing larger than its food supply can support; in Quinn's view, this is impossible, as population is a function of food supply, and not an independent variable. So, in some ways, Quinn's "Food Race" is in fact the opposite of the Malthusian problem. Quinn characterized Malthus' concern as, "How are we going to FEED all these people?" In juxtaposition, he stated the 'Quinnian problem' as "How are we going to stop PRODUCING all these people?"
The idea that human population is tied to food supply is contentious, however. Many biologists disagree with Quinn's assessment. While food supply certainly imposes an upper limit on population growth, they point out that culture, living standards, human intelligence and free will can impose lower, secondary limits to population growth. Critics also point out that the most significant population growth is occurring in the Third World, where regional food production is lowest. Meanwhile, the First World
First World
The concept of the First World first originated during the Cold War, where it was used to describe countries that were aligned with the United States. These countries were democratic and capitalistic. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the term "First World" took on a...
, where food is most plentiful, is undergoing a decline in birth rates. Quinn has suggested this results from international food distribution and has claimed that the farms of the First World fuel population growth in the Third. United Nations projections that world population
World population
The world population is the total number of living humans on the planet Earth. As of today, it is estimated to be billion by the United States Census Bureau...
will level off sometime in the near future also contradict Quinn's statements. In November 1998, Daniel Quinn made a video exploring these topics with Dr. Alan Thornhill of the Society for Conservation Biology, entitled, Food Production And Population Growth. Russell Hopfenberg has written at least two papers attempting to prove Quinn's ideas, one paper with David Pimentel entitled, "Human Population Numbers as a Function of Food Supply," and another, "Human Carrying Capacity is Determined by Food Availability." Hopfenberg has also made available a narrated slide show entitled "World Food and Human Population Growth." Jason Godesky wrote an article in 2005 entitled "The Opposite of Malthus," which attempted to ground Quinn's work in a more solid, scientific framework. This was criticized by Rob McMillin with, "If We Open the Seacocks, is the Ship Unseaworthy?"
External links
- Technology and the Other War, a speech by Daniel Quinn dealing with the Food Race concept.