SHORT REVIEWS

Books reviewed in this article: Martin Carnoy, Sustaining the New Economy: Work, Family, and Community in the Information Age Joop Garssen, Joop De Beer, Lieneke Hoeksma, Kees Prins, And Rolf Verhoef (Eds.), Vital Events: Past, Present and Future of the Dutch Population International Fund for Agricultural Development, Rural Poverty Report 2001: The Challenge of Ending Rural Poverty Andrew Mason and Georges Tapinos (Eds.), Sharing the Wealth: Demographic Change and Economic Transfers between Generations Phil Mullan, The Imaginary Time Bomb: Why An Ageing Problem Is Not a Social Problem National Research Council, Board on Sustainable Development, Our Common Journey: A Transition toward Sustainability National Research Council, Forum on Biodiversity Committee, Nature and Human Society: The Quest for a Sustainable World Ronald E. Seavoy, Subsistence and Economic Development United Nations Children's Fund, A League Table of Child Deaths by Injury in Rich Nations     

Population Weights in the International Order

Relative population sizes play little part in the international system. A state's economic and military power is influenced by population size, but as one factor among many. Formal relations among states exclude population from consideration by the principle of sovereign equality. Three sources of possible change in this situation are explored, in which states would be “population-weighted” to a greater degree than before. Convergence of productivity levels around the world, expected by many, would bring the economic and population rankings of states more into line. Some convergence is occurring, but selectively and for the most part quite slowly. Anticipation of its effect, however, influences the international order well in advance. A second source of change is the necessity to allocate among states the use of global commons, particularly the atmosphere as a sink for greenhouse gases. Acceptable remedies for this problem and perhaps for other global-level threats are likely to involve at least in part a per capita allocation principle. And third, population weights will tend to be more prominent in futures in which states are less important—as envisaged, for example, in the more benign scenarios of global society.     

SHORT REVIEWS

Books reviewed in this article: Andrew Geddes, Immigration and European Integration: Towards Fortress Europe? Urs Luterbacher and Detlef F. Sprinz (Eds.), International Relations and Global Climate Change Carla Makhlouf Obermeyer (Ed.), Cultural Perspectives on Reproductive Health Per Pinstrup‐Andersen and Rajul Pandya‐Lorch (Eds.), The Unfinished Agenda: Perspectives on Overcoming Hunger, Poverty, and Environmental Degradation Anisur Rahman, Indian Labour Migration to the Gulf Minna Säävälä, Fertility and Familial Power Relations: Procreation in South India United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Report on the World Social Situation 2001