The book focuses on the role political processes play in solving certain key problems which have accompanied economic development in both the developed and less developed nations of the world. By breaking down the factors which define development into clear cut categories, namely population, food, energy, the environment, and technology, the author offers a useful approach to understanding the problems the world is facing today and will continue to face for the foreseeable future. The text provides a useful guide and resource for those who wish to grasp the implications of the rapid growth of the world's population, world hunger, the threat of nuclear war, uncertain energy supplies, acid rain and deforestation.

Table of Contents:
Preface xi 1 The Wealth and Poverty of Nations 1 The Orthodox Approach 2 The Radical Approach 5 The Growth-with-Equity Approach 8 Conclusions 12 Notes 15 2 Population and Development 17 The Changing Population of the World 17 Causes of the Population Explosion 24 Population Growth Affects Development 26 Development Affects Population Growth 30 Governmental Population Policies 34 The Future 39 Conclusions 43 Notes 44 3 Food and Development 46 Food Production 46 How Many Are Hungry? 47 Causes of World Hunger 48 Food Affects Development 51 Development Affects Food 53 The Green Revolution 62 Governmental Food Policies 63 Future Food Supplies 66 Conclusions 71 Notes 72 4 Energy and Development 76 The Energy Crisis 76 Responses by Governments to the Energy Crisis 80 The Effect of the Energy Crisis on Third World Development Plans 84 The Relationship Between Energy Use and Development 86 The Greenhouse Effect 91 The Energy Transition 94 Nuclear Power: A Case Study 103 Conclusions 111 Notes 113 5 The Environment and Development 117 The Awakening 117 The Air 119 The Water 123 The Land 126 The Workplace and the Home 132 The Use of Natural Resources 135 The Extinction of Species 139 Environmental Politics 142 Conclusions 144 Notes 146 6 Technology and Development 149 Benefits of Technology 149 Short-term versus Long-term Benefits 150 Unanticipated Consequences of the Use of Technology 153 Inappropriate Uses of Technology 156 Limits to the "Technological Fix" 158 The Threat of Nuclear War: A Case Study 160 Conclusions 166 Notes 167 7 Alternative Futures 170 Doom 171 Growth 175 Steady State 177 Conclusions 179 Notes 181 Selected Bibliography 183 Index 189