Thanks to visit codestin.com
Credit goes to www.scribd.com

Scribd
Upload
34 views2 pages

Malthus

The Malthusian theory of population, proposed by Thomas Robert Malthus in 1798, posits that population grows exponentially while resources increase arithmetically, leading to inevitable resource scarcity. Malthus identified positive checks (famine, disease, war) and preventive checks (late marriage, contraception) as mechanisms to control population growth. Although influential, the theory has faced criticism and modification due to historical events and technological advancements that have altered resource availability and population dynamics.

Uploaded by

bartzabel.lucifer7
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
34 views2 pages

Malthus

The Malthusian theory of population, proposed by Thomas Robert Malthus in 1798, posits that population grows exponentially while resources increase arithmetically, leading to inevitable resource scarcity. Malthus identified positive checks (famine, disease, war) and preventive checks (late marriage, contraception) as mechanisms to control population growth. Although influential, the theory has faced criticism and modification due to historical events and technological advancements that have altered resource availability and population dynamics.

Uploaded by

bartzabel.lucifer7
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

The Malthusian theory of population was proposed by Thomas Robert Malthus, an English

economist and demographer, in his work "An Essay on the Principle of Population," published in
1798. Malthus' theory revolves around the relationship between population growth and the
availability of resources, particularly food.

Here are the key points of Malthus' theory:

Population grows exponentially: Malthus argued that population tends to grow at a geometric
rate (exponentially), meaning that it doubles every fixed period of time (1,2,4,8,16,32……). He
believed that populations have the potential to increase at a faster rate than the resources needed
to sustain them.

Limited resources: According to Malthus, resources such as food, land, and other necessities
increase arithmetically (linearly), meaning that they increase at a constant rate (1,2,3,4…..). In
other words, the ability of the environment to support the population is limited.

Population checks: Malthus proposed the existence of two types of checks that keep the
population in check and prevent it from growing indefinitely:

Positive checks: These are factors that increase the death rate, such as famine, disease, and war.
Malthus saw these as inevitable and natural ways of reducing population to a sustainable level.

Preventive checks: These are factors that decrease the birth rate, such as late marriage, celibacy,
and contraception. Malthus argued that individuals and societies could voluntarily control their
population growth through these measures.

Cycles of population growth and decline: Malthus suggested that human populations go
through cycles of growth and decline. When resources are abundant, populations grow rapidly.
However, as populations increase, resources become stretched, leading to a rise in positive
checks, which then bring the population back into balance with available resources.
Implications for policy: Malthus' theory had significant implications for public policy. He
argued against welfare and poor laws that provided assistance to the poor, as he believed they
would only encourage population growth and exacerbate the problem of resource scarcity.

It's important to note that while Malthus' theory was influential in its time, subsequent historical
events and technological advancements, such as the Industrial Revolution and improvements in
agricultural productivity, have led to increased resource availability and changes in population
dynamics. As a result, the Malthusian theory has been criticized and modified over time, and its
predictions have not universally held true in modern societies.

You might also like