--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you take the entire system into…" description: "\"When you take the entire system into account, ways of developing more of something in one dimension can actually create scarcities in another. If we sa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/vandana-shiva-2756_accounts_when-you-take-the-entire-system-into-acc_753550.jpg" --- # When you take the entire system into account, ways of… ![“When you take the entire system into account, ways of developing more of something in one dimension can actually create scarcities in another. If we say we have to increase production because people need more food, more housing, more meat, or more milk, we can make one thing grow in a certain way…” quote by Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/vandana-shiva-2756_accounts_when-you-take-the-entire-system-into-acc_753550.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/vandana-shiva-2756_accounts_when-you-take-the-entire-system-into-acc_753550.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/vandana-shiva-2756_accounts_when-you-take-the-entire-system-into-acc_753550.jpg) > “When you take the entire system into account, ways of developing more of something in one dimension can actually create scarcities in another. If we say we have to increase production because people need more food, more housing, more meat, or more milk, we can make one thing grow in a certain way. But by doing that we create externalities so that there are scarcities in other related things.” [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expanding production in one area often reduces availability of other resources, creating trade‑offs and externalities. **In simple terms:** Increasing one thing can cause shortages elsewhere. Key Takeaway Consider systemic impacts before scaling up. Themes sustainability economics environment tradeoffs systems thinking Mood concerned thoughtful analytical Type advisory critical reflective When to use this quote - agricultural policy - urban planning - energy production - food security - climate mitigation Key Concepts externalities resource allocation interdependence Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance growth with resource limits? - What policies reduce unintended shortages? A Different Perspective May overlook benefits of targeted innovation that can mitigate scarcity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accounts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounts/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Create Externalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-externalities-5857682/) [Create Scarcities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-scarcities-5857683/) [Developing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/developing/) [Dimensions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dimensions/) [Externalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/externalities/) [Externalities Scarcities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/externalities-scarcities-5857681/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Housing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/housing/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Increase Production](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase-production-806333/) [Meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meat/) [Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/milk/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Productions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productions/) [Related](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/related/) [Scarcity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scarcity/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The duty of the individual farmer, at this time, is to increase his production, particularly of food crops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-duty-of-the-individual-farmer-at-this-time-is-to-increase-his/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [It is important to launch a mass and society-wide struggle to drastically increase the production of consumer goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/it-is-important-to-launch-a-mass-and-society-wide-struggle-to/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [You might argue that I make the rounds no matter what year it is, but sometimes the human race likes to crank things up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-might-argue-that-i-make-the-rounds-no-matter-what-year-it-is-but/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [The way to improve productivity is not to bring in experts to talk about inputs - seed, equipment and materials, pesticides or water supply.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/the-way-to-improve-productivity-is-not-to-bring-in-experts-to-talk/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) > [“The enabling side of this process is the ongoing increase in production capability with more physical capital, more human capital and more efficient production…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-a-hudson/the-enabling-side-of-this-process-is-the-ongoing-increase-in/) [Edward A. Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-a-hudson/) > [The most effective step that may be taken to increase the production of these crops is to enlarge the acreage devoted to them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-houston/the-most-effective-step-that-may-be-taken-to-increase-the-production/) [David F. Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-houston/) > [The celebrated Adam Smith was the first to point out the immense increase of production, and the superior perfection of products referable to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-say/the-celebrated-adam-smith-was-the-first-to-point-out-the-immense/) [Jean-Baptiste Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-say/) > [“We are right to be rational and to try to increase our production and so keep manufacturing costs down. 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In Chile, we need to achieve an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-allende/i-have-always-said-to-workers-that-they-have-to-work-hard-to-produce/) [Salvador Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-allende/) > [Competition always tends to bring about the most economical and efficient method of production. Those who are most successful in this competition will acquire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/competition-always-tends-to-bring-about-the-most-economical-and/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [Something is very, very wrong when people don’t have access to drinking water, and Coke creates its market out of that scarcity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/something-is-very-very-wrong-when-people-don-t-have-access-to/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [There are scarcities in drinking water when you pollute the groundwater with nitrates. There is a scarcity in diversity when you create huge cornfields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/there-are-scarcities-in-drinking-water-when-you-pollute-the/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [We must have a spiritual rebirth. We must be born out of the belief in externalities into the belief of inner realities, out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-holmes/we-must-have-a-spiritual-rebirth-we-must-be-born-out-of-the-belief-in/) [Ernest Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-holmes/) ## More by Vandana Shiva > [We share this planet, our home, with millions of species. Justice and sustainability both demand that we do not use more resources than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/we-share-this-planet-our-home-with-millions-of-species-justice-and/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [The enclosure of the biological and intellectual commons in this way is a real threat to the future of people everywhere because it creates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/the-enclosure-of-the-biological-and-intellectual-commons-in-this-way/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Ecofeminism is a good term for distinguishing a feminism that is ecological from the kind of feminisms that have become extremely technocratic. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/ecofeminism-is-a-good-term-for-distinguishing-a-feminism-that-is/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [In the seed and the soil, we find the answers to every one of the crises we face. The crises of violence and war.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/in-the-seed-and-the-soil-we-find-the-answers-to-every-one-of-the/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [We could replace people with fossil fuels, have higher and higher levels of industrialization, of agriculture, of production, without thinking of the green-house gases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/we-could-replace-people-with-fossil-fuels-have-higher-and-higher/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Nobody defines it as something women shouldn't be doing. In a way, there are more mathematicians, more doctors, more scientists in India than there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/nobody-defines-it-as-something-women-shouldn-t-be-doing-in-a-way/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Because of these new car models there is suddenly on the streets of Delhi a new intolerance by the motorists for both the cows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/because-of-these-new-car-models-there-is-suddenly-on-the-streets-of/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Diversity creates harmony, and harmony creates beauty, balance, bounty and peace in nature and society, in agriculture and culture, in science and in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/diversity-creates-harmony-and-harmony-creates-beauty-balance-bounty/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [For us, not cooperating in the monopoly regimes of intellectual property rights and patents and biodiversity - saying "no" to patents on life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/for-us-not-cooperating-in-the-monopoly-regimes-of-intellectual/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [I describe what is happening as 'food fascism' because this system can only survive through totalitarian control. With patents on seed, an illegitimate legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/i-describe-what-is-happening-as-food-fascism-because-this-system-can/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [My mother was a tremendous woman. I was just cleaning up old trunks and I found a book with her notes written during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/my-mother-was-a-tremendous-woman-i-was-just-cleaning-up-old-trunks/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Patriarchy is based on appropriating rights and leaving responsibility to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/patriarchy-is-based-on-appropriating-rights-and-leaving/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [The poorest of families, the poorest of children, are subsidizing the growth of the largest agribusinesses in the world. 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Since nature gives water to us free of cost, buying and selling it for profit violates our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/water-must-be-free-for-sustenance-needs-since-nature-gives-water-to/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [The abuse of the Earth is the ecological crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/the-abuse-of-the-earth-is-the-ecological-crisis/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) [Explore all 151 Vandana Shiva quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) ## More Accounts quotes > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. 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