The club of rome model

Abstract

The mathematical modeling and computer analysis of economic and social systems, epitomized by the Club of Rome world model, has developed rapidly in the last decade. This activity, which has arisen because of the need to better understand the evolution of our complex, highly structured society, has become possible with the availability of powerful computers which provide solutions to large, complex mathematical models. However, until recently the quantitative analysis of economic and social systems has been essentially limited to studies of segments of society, such as the operations of a corporation, the growth and decay of an urban area, or the development of a particular industry. The Club of Rome model is the first attempt to analyze the evolution of the entire world system. The model provides longterm projections of such major factors as world population, pollution, per capita food supply, natural resource utilization, and capital investment. The model and its computer output have received widespread comment, both favorable and unfavorable. Much of the reaction has been based on an incomplete understanding of the model and how it generates numerical results.*