Closer Look: Over Population Solutions Weighed Out

Most third world countries around the globe are over populated with people, where they are suffering from illnesses, starvation, and unemployment.  Around the world, people are barely surviving due to depletion of natural resources as well as other accounts such as deforestation, over-fishing, poor farming practices and so forth. (Over Population, 2009)  Now as far as what actions need to be taken in order to rectify this matter, a few proposed resolutions have surfaced.  The following text will explore both the advantages as well as disadvantages of each solution.

1.      Subdivide existing farms and redistribute the land so that everyone has enough to live on.  (Young, 2009)

The advantages of this course of action are that people who could not afford land will receive land in the government’s efforts to better the lives of its people.  On the other hand, people who already own land will be losing it and obviously would not be too happy about the situation.  In addition, if the owners have businesses or their land is productive they would not only loose business, but the new tenants may not have the qualifications to tend to the land.  

2.      Combine small, inefficient farms into larger cooperative farms that people farm jointly.  (Young, 2009)

As this would a fair solution as well for those who started with less but for those, who would be losing land would not agree to the terms.  Also, people would needed to be trained to farm.

3.      Open up new land for agriculture.  (Young, 2009)

The only positive that can come out of this is people being able to own land.  The truth of the matter is that most third world countries cannot afford to chance their remaining natural resources.  This idea would only further the dangers of deforestation, and contributing to global warming.

4.      Look for work in the cities.  (Young, 2009)

The advantages of working in the city, is that the concentration of commerce contributes to the demand for workers.  The downside is that it is normally more expensive to live in a city and transportation is costly, especially on a daily basis.

5.      Immigrate to developed countries where opportunities are more readily available.  (Young, 2009)

The upside of immigrating to an already developed country is that everything is already set in motion, where someone would just need to get his or her foot in the door, per se.  The negative side to this is that the problem will still exist in their home country; second travel cost for a whole family overseas or across borderlines is very expensive.  Another point I would like to add is with new countries, comes new cultures and languages; which can be a factor when they are looking for work in a new place.

In conclusion, with every up there is a down, we must collaborate to find the lesser of two evils in order to find some balance to this issue.  Maybe instead of seizing land from productive landowners, the government can issue a law that the people of the town are on priority hiring status, and at the same time enforce good farming practices by issuing random audits.  As far as where the people will live, the inefficient land could be seized and instead of building houses, build up where more families can be housed at lower cost.  The owner’s the land was seized from, will live in the buildings for free and can split 25% of the rent as the other 50% would go to the buildings up keep, and the other 25% in to rebuilding the area, where public transportation, town up keep as well as other public facilities would be needed.  In addition, the major business owner’s would be taxed fairly and accordingly to aid in erecting these small areas.  In the end, the communities will be more closely knit and natural resources use would be kept to a minimum.

References

Over Population. (2009). Retrieved June 1, 2009, from National Geographic Web site: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eye/overpopulation/effect.html

Young, D. (2009). Phase 2 Discussion Board. Retrieved June 3, 2009, from Colorado Technical University Online Web site: http://https://campus.ctuonline.edu/MainFrame.aspx?ContentFrame=/Default.aspx