History of Population Theories. J. Overbeek. Rotterdam: Rotterdam University-Press, 1974. 232 pp.

Theories of economists, biologists, sociologists, anddemographers have-been woven by Overbeek into an historical fabric whichportrays mans, intellec¬tual attempt to determine the consequences ofhuman population growth. The heart of the book consists of a series ofshort precis summarizing and commenting upon the theories of notedscholars dealing with population from the late 18th century to date. Theorganization of the book is basically chronolo¬gical although thechronology is dichotomized into two camps: those pessimists about futurepopulation/resource relationships and those who refute or denypredictions of overpopulation. Following a brief introductory chapter,Over¬beek devotes one chapter to a recitation of the facts concerningworld popula¬tion growth with projections to 1985. There then follows avery cursory review of pre-Mercantile theories of population and a briefchapter describing Mercantilism which sets the stage for the ensuingexpansion of theoretical con¬cern with human numbers