American economist Hardin, stipulated a principle he referred to as “lifeboat ethics” which is meant to be a means to ensure survival of the human race. According to Hardin, the more superior nations continue to help out less superior nations, the more they face the risk of being phased out themselves due to limited resources and unlimited needs. Hardin gives the analogy of a lifeboat to represent a superior nation and the people swimming in the open seas as nations that require assistance. Hardin argues that while lending a hand, the nation must be weary of exceeding its capacity so as not to sink its lifeboat (Zack 34). The ideals set forth by Hardin are however based on incorrect assumptions stemming from a positivistic approach.
