Podcast
Questions and Answers
How long did Ester Boserup live for?
How long did Ester Boserup live for?
1910 - 1999
Who was Ester Boserup?
Who was Ester Boserup?
A Danish economist who studied economic and agricultural development
Where did she work?
Where did she work?
At the UN and other international organisations
What did she write?
What did she write?
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Whose view did she oppose?
Whose view did she oppose?
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What kind of view did she have regarding population growth?
What kind of view did she have regarding population growth?
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What did she consider larger populations as?
What did she consider larger populations as?
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What did she state about people and food supply?
What did she state about people and food supply?
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How would people get more food out of the land?
How would people get more food out of the land?
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What did Boserup state about people and Malthus?
What did Boserup state about people and Malthus?
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What may have driven technology development in Boserup's theory?
What may have driven technology development in Boserup's theory?
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What was her theory summed up?
What was her theory summed up?
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What are some examples of developments that support Boserup's theory?
What are some examples of developments that support Boserup's theory?
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What did she say about overpopulation?
What did she say about overpopulation?
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Name an example of land degradation.
Name an example of land degradation.
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What did she state about Malthus's theory?
What did she state about Malthus's theory?
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Study Notes
Ester Boserup Overview
- Lived from 1910 to 1999, spanning a significant era in economic thought.
- Renowned Danish economist focused on economic and agricultural development.
Contributions and Work
- Worked with the UN and various international organizations, influencing global agricultural policies.
- Authored "The Conditions of Agricultural Growth" in 1965, a pivotal work in agricultural economics.
Theoretical Perspectives
- Opposed Thomas Malthus's pessimistic views on population growth.
- Advocated a more optimistic stance, viewing larger populations as a potential asset rather than a burden.
- Believed that under pressure for food, societies would innovate to increase food production.
Population and Food Production
- Argued that human creativity would enable populations to overcome food shortages by improving farming techniques.
- Suggested methods to enhance land productivity included more intensive cultivation, increased use of manure and water, and crop improvement.
Malthusian Crisis and Technology
- Proposed that technology development may be driven by challenges such as the Malthusian trap.
- Summarized her theory as one where population growth leads to advancements in agriculture and technology.
Examples Supporting Boserup's Theory
- Developments like genetically modified crops, the Green Revolution, and the bio-revolution illustrate her theories in practice.
Overpopulation and Land Degradation
- Warned that overpopulation could lead to unsustainable farming practices, ultimately degrading the land.
- Highlighted the Sahel region in North Africa as an example of land degradation due to population pressure and desertification.
Critique of Malthus's Theory
- Criticized Malthusian theory for its assumption of a closed society, emphasizing that migration and adaptability are crucial factors in human responses to resource limitations.
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