I mean approximating to the standard of living of present day America through the use of technology and a democratic
capitalist set of institutions.
Do you really think it is theoretically possible for the entire population of the globe to approximate the standard of living of present day America?
Think just of the materials and energy required to provide every person in India and China with a house or apartment constructed to American standards and with at least one and in many cases two or more cars in their garages. Not to mention finding and refining sufficient oil to run all those cars.
The US has about 287 million population. China and India together have about 2.3 billion -- about 8 times our population. Can you imagine in just those two countries eight times as many vehicles as we have in this country being built, run, spewing their pollutants into the air?
Look at the number of calories the average American consumes. I'm no Maltheus, but there is a physical limit to the number of salmon we can farm, the amount of caviar the globe can produce, the number of apples, oranges, the amount of milk, ham, beef, not to mention truffles, saffron, and other delicacies, the arable land remaining in the world can produce.
Do you really think that 6 billion people can live the same lifestyle we live today?
Really?? |
