POPULATION, DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT

The article examines the complex relationships between population, dev elopment and the configuration of the natural and social ecosystem, an d within this context, inquires about demographic and socio-economic t ransition strategies. The whole world today is affected by unemploymen t and social exclusion, which are features of our 'age of distributive injustice' (Kothari, 1993). This means that we have to go beyond trad itional job creation policies. There are four areas to be explored in detail. The second green revolution might revitalize the rural world b y making small farms viable again and promoting the large-scale use of biomass for energy and industrial purposes. In urban ecosystems, recy cling and the economical use of energy and water as well as the mainte nance of infrastructure, equipment and buildings, constitute a source of employment which is self-financing, at least in part, by the result ing savings in resources. The social services deficit can be largely m ade good by the use of labour-intensive methods of production. Paradox ically, the poor countries are better placed to achieve this than coun tries where average wage-levels are high. Lastly, public works, which are absolutely necessary for ensuring that systems are competitive, of fer considerable employment potential. The situation is therefore not completely hopeless with regard to employment and to proactive social policies which attack the underlying causes of social exclusion.