Population Pressure as a Non-Explanation

Abstract

My aim here is to summarize briefly some serious difficulties with assumptions that have frequently been made in considerations of prehistoric population and culture changes, and to suggest better alternatives. I have discussed these matters more fully, with many more references, elsewhere (Cowgill in press).One problematic assumption is the notion that a fairly strong tendency toward increase is a natural characteristic of human populations, or at least of sedentary food-producing populations. It is taken for granted that as a rule population growth will continue in a region until a point is reached at which further growth would create (or at least pose serious threat of) major shortages of important resources. A second fallacy is the assumption that stresses resulting from resource shortages will naturally tend to evoke developmental responses. Cultural development or evolution is frequently explained as a response to such stresses.