What is the relationship between rural development patterns and resource degradation? People are usually rational, and do not seek to destroy the resources on which they and their communities depend. However, there are national and international pressures that may lead them to do so. At the national level, these pressures include population increases and declines in common property resources. At the international level, forces such as interest rate changes and technology transfers can affect resource use. This article addresses the relationship between population growth and resource degradation, including a consideration of how population growth interacts with management of common property resources.
