Ehrlich’s predictions of mass starvation have not been correct because
Multiple choice question.
higher living standards have not increased the world’s population as much as expected.
inflation has not been as rapid as expected.
the supply of productive resources has not increased as much as expected.
higher birth rates have not increased the replacement rate as much as expected.
the prices of productive resources have not fallen as much as expected.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct answer:
Higher living standards have not increased the world’s population as much as expected.
Explanation:
Paul Ehrlich, a biologist and author of The Population Bomb (1968), predicted that rapid population growth would outpace food production and lead to widespread mass starvation, especially in developing nations. He argued that humanity was on a path toward disaster due to exponential population growth overwhelming finite resources like food, water, and arable land.
However, Ehrlich’s dire predictions did not come true, largely due to unanticipated improvements in agricultural productivity, technological innovation, and shifts in demographic patterns—especially those related to living standards and birth rates.
Ehrlich assumed that rising living standards in poor countries would lead to higher population growth, based on the idea that better health and more resources would cause people to have more children. But the opposite has generally occurred: as living standards rise, birth rates tend to fall. This phenomenon is explained by the demographic transition model, which shows that as societies become wealthier and better educated, especially in terms of women’s education and healthcare, family sizes decrease. Parents no longer feel the need to have many children for economic security, and child mortality drops, further reducing the incentive for large families.
This decline in fertility rates has helped prevent the type of uncontrolled population growth that Ehrlich feared. In fact, many developed countries now face population stagnation or decline, not explosive growth.
In addition, agricultural innovations like the Green Revolution dramatically increased food production in the 20th century, further undermining Ehrlich’s predictions.
In summary, Ehrlich’s predictions were incorrect because he overestimated the effect of rising living standards on population growth. Instead of increasing population rapidly, higher living standards have often led to lower fertility rates, helping to stabilize global population growth and avoid the mass starvation he predicted.