Part II: Capital Is Sufficient

In saying that capital is sufficient, I mean that there is enough of it to meet our needs. That’s what I set out to show in this part of the book. The only way to do so is by examining what those needs are and separating them clearly from our unlimited wants. We must then consider population trends so we can see how many humans are likely to have those needs in the future. Only then can we attempt to determine whether our existing capital is sufficient to meet them.

If you are already convinced that capital is sufficient, or you are an impatient reader and want to find out what the new scarcity is, I recommend skipping ahead to Part III. You should definitely come back here though eventually, because this section reclaims a meaningful distinction between needs and wants. Modern economics and trillions of dollars of cumulative advertising spend have worked hard to erase this distinction, as it turns out much to our own detriment.