Peter T. Bauer

Population growth does not thwart economic progress, argues Peter T. Bauer in the following viewpoint. Instead, he asserts population increases in less-developed countries such as Taiwan and Malaysia often lead to rapid economic growth. According to Bauer, population growth does not cause unemployment because it increases the number of consumers and producers. Bauer is an emeritus professor of economics at the London School of Economics.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Bauer, by what factor has population in the Western world increased?
2. In the author’s view, what leads to productivity of land?
3. Why do famines and food shortages occur in less- developed countries, according to the author"

There is ample evidence that rapid population growth has certainly not inhibited economic progress either in the West or in...