Buried Quote by Herman E. Daly
“Malthus has been buried many times, and Malthusian scarcity with him. But as Garrett Hardin remarked, anyone who has to be reburied so often cannot be entirely dead.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Environmental Economics Lecture, 1995
The quote suggests that Malthusian ideas persist despite being repeatedly dismissed, indicating underlying relevance.
In simple terms: Malthusian ideas keep returning despite criticism.
Recognize lingering resource limits.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- academic curricula
- public discourse
- environmental planning
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance Malthusian warnings with technological optimism?
- What policies reflect persistent scarcity concerns?
Malthusian arguments may oversimplify complex systems.