Malthusian Theory of Population

Introduction

Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) was the key figure to analyses the population statistics. His formulation on population was a landmark in the history of population theories. He generalized the relationship between population factors and social change. In 1798 he wrote an essay on the Principle of Population. In this essay he wrote about the population growth and its affects to the world.

Basic Features of Malthusian Theory of Population

1) Rate of Population Growth:

In the view of Malthus, due to strong attractions of the sexes, the population could increases by multiples, doubling every twenty-five years. He argued the population expand by a Geometric progression (1,2,4,8 and so on).

2) Food Growth Rate :

Malthus argued that the growth of subistence is very low as compared to population growth. In his view, the subistence increases by Arithmetical ratio (1,2,3,4 and so on).

3) Imbalance between population and means of subsistence:

As population increases by Geometrical ratio and subsistence increases by Arithmetic progression, there is an imbalance between them. Food is compulsory to the human as a result the nature balances the population and food growth rates.

4) Checks to Population increase as suggested by Malthus:

In the view of Malthus, if population is not controlled then the gap between the food supply and population will continue to grow over time as a result nature will cause famine and other natural calamities to increase death rate which is a nature's check against population.

Explanation Of The Theory

In brief, Malthus theory states that:

1) Population is necessarily limited by the means of subsistence.

2) Population invariably increase where means of subsistence increased, unless prevented by some very powerful and obvious checks.

3) These checks, and the checks which repress the superior power of population and keeps its effects on a level with the means of subsistence, are all resolvable into moral restraint, vice and misery.

Mathus based his above arguments on man's two basic characteristics essential to the maintenance of life:

1) The need of food, and

2) The passion between sexes.

It was the second which led people to marry at a relatively early age and would result in such a large number of births that the population would double itself in few years if unchecked by misery and vice.

Mathus referred to two classes of check which kept population down:

1) Positive means:

Famine, disease or war, pestilence and vicious customs about women.

2) Negative means:

Arifical means of birth control and suggested as an alternative that birth rate be decreased through preventive measures such as late marriage, moral restraint and chastity.

Malthus argued that the positive and preventive checks are inversely related to each other. In other words, where positive checks are very effective, the preventive checks are relatively less effective and vice versa.

However, in all societies, some of these checks are in constant operation although in varying magnitude of effectiveness. Malthus believed that despite these checks, the inability of increased food supply to keep abreast of population increase always results in some kind of a situation of overpopulation.

Criticism:

1) The basic assumption of Malthus, an theory are not correct

* humans donot have high desire for sex

* desire for sex depends upon age, health, occupation, religion, belief, environment etc.

* desire for sex and having children is not related.

2) The mathematical form of the Malthusian population theory is not correct.

3) Malthus compared population with means of subistence and not with total population.