The impacts of technology on growth: Studies of agriculture and steel

Since earliest times, the human species has applied diverse types of technology. Only recently, with the application of technology on a global scale, aided by external energy, have problems of growth caused by the human transformation of earth appeared. The evidence of vigorous technological growth is ubiquitous, but this articles focuses on its driving power and energetic density as they affect agricultural fertilisers and steel production. Empirical time line patterns of development suggest two elementary growth models for projecting historical data to help answer the question of whether the unrestricted growth of consumption can be mitigated by technological development. The two examples suggest that this is not the case. The findings reveal that the increasing automation of agriculture has actually decreased overall output. The article concludes that technological applications reduce the efficiency of the system, and that technology alone cannot solve a problem that is caused by sheer quantity.