SOC101Y1 Lecture : Chapter 15 Population and Urbanization Notes Feb 4 2009
Document Summary
N environmental-opportunity theory: people actively choose where they want to live depending on the extent to which a particular place either meshes with or constrains their personal lifestyle. N demography: the study of populations (size, distribution, composition. N cities: relatively large, dense, permanent settlements in which the majority of the residents do not produce their own food. N 3 key elements- preindustrial cities- food surplus, literacy, technology innovations. N cities were important for commerce, knowledge, art. N could not support large enough populations with food supplies. N when pop did increase= diseases killed many. N population if left unchecked would increase geometrically (2, 4, 8, 16) and food supply would increase arithmetically (2, 4, 6, 8) N capitalism is organized to keep the working class in a personal in a perpetual state of poverty/unemployment. N rapid population growth, then, was less a result of a mismatch between population and resources and more case of deeply flawed social and economic arrangements.
