Make Room! Make Room!

In 1960, the most populated countries in the world, in no particular order, are China, India, Indonesia, Russia, and the US. These five counties have no less than a hundred thousand citizens. Fourteen more will reach the six-digit figure by 2050. The trajectory is expected, but there seems to be a case. Will our planet be able to meet the demands of too many people?

Harry Harrison thought about human overpopulation and the problems that would arise from it. "Make Room! Make Room!", which was published in 1966, was set in New York in 1999. The plot jumped from character to character, recounting what it was like to live in an overcrowded place. It was a bleak picture.

Planet of the damned

“Because of the power shortage and lack of replacement parts there was only one elevator running in the Empire State Building, and this one went only as high as the twenty-fifth floor. After that you walked.”

Harrison, who was born on March 12, 1925, didn't foresee overpopulation to be a major problem in the future. In fact, nobody ever thought about it during those days. It was after World War II when he met an Indian, who predicted the day when crowded cities would be a concern. It might not have dawned on him that other nations, which don't have a problem about it, would be affected.

"Make Room! Make Room!" saw Andy Rusch, a police detective, sharing a room with Sol, a retired engineer. They lived in the impoverished part of New York. It was nothing to Andy, as the undermanned police force had enough trouble to deal with. He was able to navigate through the different boroughs, even witnessing how the rich lived by. There was a stark difference.

The problems caused by overpopulation often put the New Yorkers in a grumpy mood. Only the members of the upper class were apathetic about it, attending parties to forget the situation. Looting was rampant, and the police force couldn't do anything about it. Meanwhile, Sol was preaching the virtues of birth control and sustainable development. Andy wondered if it was too late.

Return to Eden?

Harrison passed away on 2012, perhaps gladdened to know the rise of environmental awareness in the planet.

We know our limited natural resources and the efforts to make renewable energy an option. But can developing countries afford it? Consider natural water, which is what humans need. We might run out soon. (It's an issue in California nowadays.) Desalination is a solution, but it's expensive. (Saudi Arabia is a good case.) This will be a grave matter for Africans. As for birth control, religious beliefs can polarize the populace.

"Make Room! Make Room!" turned Harrison into a seer, but he won't be pleased.