tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359664066632610820.post7948950788909700300..comments2024-03-13T09:37:45.372-07:00Comments on The Economics Forum 21: Finis Mundi: Capitalism, Overpopulation and the Destruction of the Biosphere.Joseph Belbrunohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10859665074758447033noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7359664066632610820.post-65702552852568840022016-11-30T09:18:34.103-08:002016-11-30T09:18:34.103-08:00Thanks for the reply to my previous comment! If I ...Thanks for the reply to my previous comment! If I may add one comment to the present analysis, I think we must also consider the role that innovation plays in increasing relative overpopulation. To use Marx's terminology, relative overpopulation can be increased through innovations that decrease the socially necessary labor time embodied in commodities, which cheapens the means of subsistence and frees a portion of the existing labor force to absorb the surplus product. So theoretically capital can remain profitable in spite of a stagnant population if it is able to sufficiently increase productivity on a continual basis. There is much talk lately of a coming automation revolution (e.g. self-driving cars) that will eliminate millions of jobs. However, those hopes may not be realistic, and even if innovation could prop up the rate of profit sufficiently, the environmental threat that you mention would remain because consumption per person would have to grow. Dannoreply@blogger.com