A depletionist theory of economic history

Frank Furedi’s latest review on spiked criticises David Willetts, one of Britain’s few intellectual members of parliament, for the neo-Malthusian views expressed in his new book. According to the review The Pinch: “is based on a depletionist theory of economic history. In line with the Malthusian model, The Pinch presents resources as being entirely fixed and all variables as more or less constant, except, of course, population growth. From this perspective, one generation utilises resources at the expense of the next generation.”