> Nobody predicted this. The pioneers of political economy expected eventual stagnation. Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and Robert Malthus
Not true. There were stronger optimists than the people discussed, such as William Godwin. He did not think progress had diminishing returns. And he wrote a book refuting Malthus's pessimistic views on overpopulation!
(BTW, interesting story, Godwin thought Malthus' pessimism was sufficiently dumb that it didn't need a reply -- people would see it was false without help. He only replied later after Malthus started to gain substantial influence. By then, it turns out, he was too late.)
Not true. There were stronger optimists than the people discussed, such as William Godwin. He did not think progress had diminishing returns. And he wrote a book refuting Malthus's pessimistic views on overpopulation!
(BTW, interesting story, Godwin thought Malthus' pessimism was sufficiently dumb that it didn't need a reply -- people would see it was false without help. He only replied later after Malthus started to gain substantial influence. By then, it turns out, he was too late.)