oneoldude

Reports Indicate China's Ecosystem Is Too Far Gone to Support a Growing Economy

"How can a nation’s economy grow when its soil is rapidly eroding and its water is rapidly becoming so polluted that it isn’t just unsafe to drink. It’s even unsafe for fishing, farming and factory use."

Perhaps a look in the rear view mirror of history might help answer this question.

As a child, during the late 1940's and throughout the 1950's, I was constantly told by school teachers (and later by college professors) that the U.S. was soon coming to an end because of soil erosion, air and water pollution, population explosion, lack of available land (they don't make it any more) and the inability of the third world to provide its own food supply.

Since that time it has become clear that there is a whole lot of land available. Been in an airplane lately? Also, modern farming has reduced soil erosion, new industries have popped up to provide help in the realm of water and air pollution, population growth has not stopped but has been controlled in various parts of the world by individual choice and in other parts by government control.

This is not to say that there are no continuing problems in these areas. But looking at history shows that mankind has a great propensity to deal with problems and to continue to successfully march toward the future. Indeed, it often appears that many of the problems might be better viewed as opportunities.

Bottom line is, that during the 50 years since I was a child, the U.S. and the world has increased GDP, increased the standard of living, increased life expectancy, increased education and in general moved toward a more comfortable future for all. And all of this motion and growth has occured in the context of inevetable economic cycles of boom and bust.

China will do the same.