A History of Greek Economic Thought. Albert Augustus Trever
but rather prophetic, and in accord with sound economy. His legislation against the sale of adulterated products,[242] and in favor of publicity in business,[243] and state supervision of prices[244] has a startlingly modern ring.
POPULATION
The problem of population and food supply, which disturbed Malthus and some of the other English economists, was also a cause of concern to Greek thinkers. This might well be expected, since it is a recognized fact that the source of the grain supply was always a matter of grave concern to Athens and many other Greek cities.[245] Plato states the problem clearly and hints at a solution, when he says that the natural increase of population in his state shall not exceed the economic basis for it.[246] In the Laws, he suggests specific means for preserving the proper number by restraining over-productive people, and by encouraging the opposite.[247] If such general provisions should not prove sufficient, he would then resort to colonization.[248] On the other hand, should population be greatly depleted by war or disease, he would even open the doors of citizenship to the undesirable classes.[249] His interest in the problem of population, however, is primarily moral and social rather than economic. Moreover, in antithesis to Malthus, he limits his consideration to a very small, artificially constructed state. With the narrow political vision of a Greek, he thinks that the production of a multitude of “happy-hearted” men in a state is impossible.[250]
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