Surprise, surprise.

He finally understood the exponential "approach" of our "western" economies.

And put this together with the fact that we're living on limited space, time and resources.

This has been crystal-clear since the dotcom-bubble imploded.

Or since the abolishment of Bretton-Woods in the 1970ies for just another economic collapse. (Which China and Russia are reverting right now and Gaddafi tried to, fyi)

Or since the Nazis "needed" to rob their occupied territories because basically they were bankrupt even before they started WW2.

Take your pick.