The Phenomenon of Lack: Being, Man and Community. A Synthesis of an Interdisciplinary Inquiry

2.1. The discovery of scarcity in economics Economic activity evolved in an attempt to survive in the conditions of lack. The economic aspect of lack is recognized under the name of scarcity and originates specific notions of scarcity. Not surprisingly, economic science has consistently developed this concept. The understanding of scarcity in terms of the material world has evolved from a specific concept in the Middle Ages to a more abstract idea in modern times. Back in the Middle Ages the concept of scarcity as we know it today was not conceptualized directly. Scarcity of physical items per se was not subjected to abstract contemplation. This type of thinking was reserved for spiritual things (Alves and Moreira 2016).

Lack in a broader sense was a subject of religious thinking in the context of eternal life. Economic activity was regarded as a means to ensure human existence and to realize one’s potential.

Theologian T. R. Malthus (1766–1834) was by and large the first to coherently elaborate on the universality of scarcity. Malthus put the discourse on a new path. Thinking about the nature of poverty, he discovered scarcity as a universal phenomenon with natural causes such as population growth and production capacity. Malthus was concerned about poverty and considered scarcity in a negative light, as a kind of disorder. As a theologian, Malthus sensed that scarcity was in some way God’s providence. His common religious assumption was that, given that everything was God’ creation, this should lead to good.

Malthus gave no answer to the question about how this might happen.

He argued that the infinite variety of nature was admirably adapted to pursue higher goals of creativity and create as much good as possible.

Malthus’ negative view of human reproductive capacity and underestimation of human creative power resulted in his well-known conclusion that humanity would not be able to feed itself. Malthus did not foresee the opportunities to be offered by the expansion of economic relations 38