In the first, economic globalization improves world living standards, ushering in a new era of prosperity as more and more countries adopt market economies. The growth of population in developing countries creates larger markets for growing economies and contributes human resources to the process. The information revolution liberates the increasingly educated global population, ensuring democratic governance that in turn provides the political basis for further economic integration. In time, economic growth solves the population problem before the global total reaches any unsustainable level, all regions of the world make the demographic transition to replacement-level birth rates. As the private sector becomes more and more powerful relative to government, no political actor is able to compel contributions to collective concerns such as basic defense or police functions, economic infrastructure, environmental protection or social safety nets.
Organized crime runs rampant through porous borders.
The technologies of the information revolution spread inequitably, leaving the poor well aware that others are living far better than they, but unable to participate in the information-based global economy. At the same time, both population growth and the political mobilization that accompanies rising living standards increase demands on governments. Environmental degradation compounds these demands by undermining the ability of the poorest to fashion a living for themselves, as supplies of water, firewood and arable land all diminish. The failure of either market or government to meet the demands of the masses provokes growing frustration and eventually violence. Ann argued that both scenarios are plausible even though they differ dramatically.