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This note discusses Julian Simon's contribution to the population debate. While Simon, who died on 8 Feburary 1998, is best known for his arguments supporting the thesis that the net impact of population growth is positive, his lasting contribution is most likely to be methodological: his championing revisionism in the study of the economic consequences of population change by distinguishing direct and indirect effects and of short-run and long-run impacts. The note also argues that Simon does not convincingly provide the mechanisms by which the main long-run benefits of population growth occur and notes that the weight of current empirical evidence suggests that a slowing of rapid population growth is likely to be advantageous for development, especially in poor, agrarian societies.
Founded in 1975, Population and Development Review seeks to advance knowledge of the interrelationships between population and socioeconomic development and provides a forum for discussion of related issues of public policy. Combining readability with scholarship, the journal draws on high-level social science expertise-in economics, anthropology, sociology, and political science-to offer challenging ideas, provocative analysis, and critical insights. Each issue includes a lively collection of book reviews and an archives section that brings to light historical writings with a resonance for contemporary population debate. Supplements to the journal also are available.
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© 1998 Population Council