The State of Humanity

ISBN-13: 9781557865854 / Angielski / Miękka / 1996 / 708 str.

Julian Simon

Opis

This book provides a comprehensive and balanced assessment of the state of the Earth and its inhabitants at the close of the twentieth century. More than fifty scholars from all over the world present new, concise and accessible accounts of the present state of humanity and the prospects for its social and natural environment. The subjects range from deforestation, water pollution and ozone layer depletion to poverty, homelessness, mortality and murder. Each contributor considers the present situation, historical trends, likely future prospects, and the efficacy or otherwise of current activity and policy. The coverage is worldwide, with a particular emphasis on North America.

The State of Humanity is a magnificent and eye-opening synthesis of cultural, social, economic and environmental perspectives. It will interest all those - including geographers, economists, sociologists and policy makers - concerned to understand some of the most pressing problems of our time.

Recenzje

" The State of Humanity will become essential reading for anyone who wants to put today′s policy debates into a larger context." Business Week
" This book provides a comprehensive and balanced assessment of the state of the Earth and its inhabitants at the close of the twentieth century." Population Index, Vol 62 No. 2

Spis treści

1. Introduction.

Part I: Life, Death and Health:.

2. Human Mortality throughout History and Prehistory: Samuel Preston (University of Pennsylvania).

3. The Decline of Childhood Mortality: Kenneth Hill (The Johns Hopkins University).

4. Disease and Health Throughout the Ages: Michael Haines (Colgate University).

5. The Contribution of Improved Nutrition to the Decline in Mortality Rates in Europe and America: Robert W. Fogel (University of Chicago).

6. Trends in Health of the US Population 1957–1989: Eileen M Crimmins (University of Southern California) and Dominique G. Ingegneri.

7. Mortality and Health in the Soviet Union: Murray Feshbach (Georgetown University).

8. Worldwide Historical Trends in Murder and Suicide: Jean–Claude Chesnais (Institute National d′Etudes Demographiques).

9. The History of Accident Rates in the United States: Arlene Holen (Chairman of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review).

10. World Trends in Smoking: Allan Brandt (Harvard Medical School).

11. Long Term Trends in the Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages: James S. Roberts (Duke University).

Part II: Standard of Living, Productivity and Poverty:.

12. Trends in the Agricultural Labor Force: Richard Sullivan (Holy Cross College).

13. The Standard of Living throughout the Ages: Joyce Burnett and Joel Mokyr (Northwestern University).

14. Long Trends in the US Standard of Living: Stanley Lebergott (Wesleyan University).

15. Long Trends in Productivity: Jeremy Atack (University of Illinois).

16. The Extent of Slavery and Freedom throughout the Ages in the World as a Whole and in Major Sub–Areas: Stanley Engerman (University of Rochester).

17. Black Americans: Income and Standards of Living from the Days of Slavery to the Present: Robert Higgs (Seattle University) and Robert A. Margo (Vanderbilt University).

18. The Long Term Course of American Inequality, 1647–1969: Peter H. Lindert (University of California) and Jeffrey G. Williamson (Harvard University).

19. Trends in Unemployment in the United States: Alexander Keyssar (Duke University).

20. Trends in Costs and Quality of Housing: Richard F. Muth (Emory University).

21. Trends in the Quantities of Education: Julian L. Simon (University of Maryland).

22. Trends in Free Time: John Robinson (University of Maryland).

23. Trends in Poverty in the United States: Rebecca M. Blank (Northwestern University).

24. How ′Poor′ are America′s Poor?: Robert Rector (The Heritage Foundation).

25. Homelessness in America: Randall K. Flier (City University of New York).

26. The Recent US Economy: Alan Reynolds (The Hudson Institute).

Part III: Natural Resources:.

27. Long Term Trends in Energy Process: William J. Hausman (The College of William and Mary).

28. Trends in the Price and Supply of Oil: Morris A. Adelman (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).

29. The Costs of Nuclear Power: Bernard Cohen (University of Pittsburgh).

30. Trends in Availability of Non–Fuel Minerals: John G. Myers and Stephen Moore (Joint Economic Committee of the Congress).

31. Trends in Non–Renewal Resources: H. E. Goeller.

32. Trends in Availability and Usage of Outdoor Recreation: Robert H. Nelson.

33. Global Forests Revisited: Roger A. Sedjo (Resources of the Future) and Marion Clawson (Resources for the Future).

34. Species Loss Revisited: Julian L. Simon (University of Maryland) and Aaron Wildavsky (University of California).

Part IV: Agriculture, Food Land and Water:.

35. Agricultural Productivity Before the Green Revolution: George W. Grantham (McGill University).

36. Trends in Food Productivity: Dennis T. Avery (The Hudson Institute).

37. Recent Trends in Food Availability and Nutritional Well Being: Thomas T. Poleman (Cornell University).

38. Trends in Grain Stocks: William Hudson.

39. Trends in Seafood Production: John P. Wise.

40. Trends in Soil Erosion and Farmland Quality: Bruce L. Gardner (University of Maryland) and Theodore W. Schultz (University of Chicago).

41. Water Water Everywhere, But not a Drop to Drink: Terry L. Anderson (Political Economy Research Centre).

42. Land Use Trends in the United States: Thomas Frey.

Part V: Pollution and the Environment:.

43. Long Run Trends in Environmental Quality: William J. Baumol (C. V. Starr Centre for Applied Economics) and Wallace E. Oates (University of Maryland).

44. Atmospheric Pollution Trends in the United Kingdom: Derek M. Elsom (Oxford Brookes University).

45. Trends in Air Pollution in the United States: Hugh W. Ellsaesser (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory).

46. Comparative Trends in Resource Use and Pollution in Market and Socialist Economies: Mikhail S. Bernstam (Hoover Institution).

47. Acid Rain: J. Laurence Kulp (University of Washington).

48. Stratospheric Ozone: Science and Policy: S. Fred Singer.

49. The Greenhouse Effect and Global Change: Patrick J. Michaels (University of Virginia).

50. Greenhouse Scenarios to Inform Decision Makers: Lester Lave (Carnegie–Mellon University).

51. The Hazards of Nuclear Power: Bernhard Cohen (University of Pittsburgh).

52. Pesticides, Cancer and Misconceptions: Bruce Ames (University of California).

53. The Carcinogen or Toxin of the Week Phenomenon: The Facts Behind the Scares: Elizabeth M. Whelan (American Council on Science and Health).

Part VI: Thinking About these Issues:.

54. American Public Opinion: Environment and Energy: William M. Lunch (Oregon State University) and Stanley Rothman (Smith College).

55. Public Opinion About and Media Coverage of Population Growth: Rita Simon.

56. Risk within Reason: Richard J. Zeckhauser (Harvard University) and W. K. Viscusi (Duke University).

57. Natural Ecology Today and in the Future: Kenneth Mellanby. Conclusion: From the Past to the Future.

58. What does the Future Hold?: Julian L. Simon (University of Maryland).

Index.

O autorze

Julian Simon is Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland. He has published widely. His books include The Resourceful Earth (with Herman Kahn), The Economics of Population Growth, The Ultimate Resource, The Management of Advertising, Basic Research Methods in Social Science, and Applied Managerial Economics.