Humanity is Thriving

A tubthumping article in the Boston Globe, by Jeff Jacoby:

• Since 1950, the world's population has soared by more than 150 percent
• global food prices (in real terms) have plunged 75 percent
• Over the past generation, chronic undernourishment in poor countries has been slashed from 37 percent to 17 percent
• in the United States, staples such as potatoes and flour have dropped in price (relative to income) by more than 80 percent
• Before industrialization, children died before reaching their first birthday at a rate exceeding ... one in five.
• "In the United States as late as 1900," Goklany writes, "infant mortality was about 160; but by 2004 it had declined to 6.6."
• In China, infant mortality has plunged from 195 to 30 in the past 50 years.
• Life expectancy? From 31 years in 1900, it was up to 66.8 worldwide in 2003.
• the onset of chronic illness has been significantly delayed -- by nearly eight years for cancer, nine years for heart diseases, and 11 years for respiratory diseases

Bottom line? "by almost any yardstick you choose, humanity thrives as never before". (via Don Boudreaux)

Comments

[tc]

Number of people exposed to David Guest in 1900 = 0.

I'd take my chances in the olden days.