Neither Too Many, Nor Too Few

At a time when the world is grappling with climate breakdown, economic instability, widening wealth inequality, and deepening gender divisions, perhaps only one truth stays constant: people must be at the center of the future we imagine.

- BALHASAN ALI

The relation between population and development has never been more critical. Long before Thomas Robert Malthus and Adam Smith, thinkers across the world—from Kautilya in India to Confucius in China and Aristotle in Greece—grappled with a fundamental question: how does the size and composition of population influence prosperity, stability, and moral order?

Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the thought shifted dramatically as resources came to be viewed as limited. Population growth, once considered a sign of strength, came to be seen as something that would inevitably lead to economic instability, wealth inequality, poverty, and hunger. However, this narrative was challenged in the 20th century by the success of Norman Borlaug's Green Revolution. Advances in agricultural technology dramatically increased food production, seemingly resolving the long-feared crisis of feeding a growing population.

Yet, despite this surplus, millions around the world still go hungry. This underscores that the core issue is not absolute scarcity or inadequate production, but rather inequality, flawed distribution systems, and poor governance. These challenges—rooted in questions of justice and access—have echoed through history and must remain central to global development debates.