Principle of Population
Malthus largely developed his views in reaction to the optimistic opinions of his father and his associates, notably Rousseau. Malthus's essay was also in response to the views of the Marquis de Condorcet. In An Essay on the Principle of Population, first published in 1798, Malthus made the famous prediction that population would outrun food supply, leading to a decrease in food per person. (Case & Fair, 1999: 790).
“ The power of population is so superior to the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man, that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race. The vices of mankind are active and able ministers of depopulation. They are the precursors in the great army of destruction, and often finish the dreadful work themselves. But should they fail in this war of extermination, sickly seasons, epidemics, pestilence, and plague advance in terrific array, and sweep off their thousands and tens of thousands. Should success be still incomplete, gigantic inevitable famine stalks in the rear, and with one mighty blow levels the population with the food of the world. ”
This "Principle of Population" depended on the idea that population if unchecked increases at a geometric rate (i.e. 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.), whereas the food supply grows at an arithmetic rate (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.).
Malthus suggested that only natural causes (such as accidents and old age), misery (war, pestilence, plague, and above all famine) [Book I, Ch. 2], moral restraint and vice (which for Malthus included infanticide, murder, contraception and homosexuality)[citation needed] could check excessive population-growth. See Malthusian catastrophe for more information.
Malthus favoured moral restraint (including late marriage and sexual abstinence) as a check on the growth of population. Note, however, that Malthus proposed this only for the working and poor classes. Thus the lower social classes took a great deal of responsibility for societal ills, according to his theory. In his work An Essay on the Principle of Population, he proposed the gradual abolition of poor laws. Essentially what this resulted in was the promotion of legislation which degenerated the conditions of the poor in England, lowering their population but effectively decreasing poverty.
Malthus himself noted that many people misrepresented his theory; he took pains to point out that he did not just predict future catastrophe. He argued: "...this constantly subsisting cause of periodical misery has existed ever since we have had any histories of mankind, does exist at present, and will forever continue to exist, unless some decided change takes place in the physical constitution of our nature."
Thus, Malthus regarded his Principle of Population as an explanation of the past and of the present situation of humanity, as well as a prediction of the future.
Some have argued that Malthus did not fully recognise the human capacity to increase food supply. On this subject Malthus wrote "The main peculiarity which distinguishes man from other animals, is the means of his support, is the power which he possesses of very greatly increasing these means."
“ The power of population is so superior to the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man, that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race. The vices of mankind are active and able ministers of depopulation. They are the precursors in the great army of destruction, and often finish the dreadful work themselves. But should they fail in this war of extermination, sickly seasons, epidemics, pestilence, and plague advance in terrific array, and sweep off their thousands and tens of thousands. Should success be still incomplete, gigantic inevitable famine stalks in the rear, and with one mighty blow levels the population with the food of the world. ”
This "Principle of Population" depended on the idea that population if unchecked increases at a geometric rate (i.e. 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.), whereas the food supply grows at an arithmetic rate (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.).
Malthus suggested that only natural causes (such as accidents and old age), misery (war, pestilence, plague, and above all famine) [Book I, Ch. 2], moral restraint and vice (which for Malthus included infanticide, murder, contraception and homosexuality)[citation needed] could check excessive population-growth. See Malthusian catastrophe for more information.
Malthus favoured moral restraint (including late marriage and sexual abstinence) as a check on the growth of population. Note, however, that Malthus proposed this only for the working and poor classes. Thus the lower social classes took a great deal of responsibility for societal ills, according to his theory. In his work An Essay on the Principle of Population, he proposed the gradual abolition of poor laws. Essentially what this resulted in was the promotion of legislation which degenerated the conditions of the poor in England, lowering their population but effectively decreasing poverty.
Malthus himself noted that many people misrepresented his theory; he took pains to point out that he did not just predict future catastrophe. He argued: "...this constantly subsisting cause of periodical misery has existed ever since we have had any histories of mankind, does exist at present, and will forever continue to exist, unless some decided change takes place in the physical constitution of our nature."
Thus, Malthus regarded his Principle of Population as an explanation of the past and of the present situation of humanity, as well as a prediction of the future.
Some have argued that Malthus did not fully recognise the human capacity to increase food supply. On this subject Malthus wrote "The main peculiarity which distinguishes man from other animals, is the means of his support, is the power which he possesses of very greatly increasing these means."