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22th April 2013Thomas Robert MalthusBackground oft he Major Player: MalthusThe Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus FRS (13 or 14 February 1766?– 23 or 29 December 1834) was a British scholar, influential in political economy and demography. Malthus popularised the economic theory of rent.Some BackgroundMalthus wrote his famous essay on population in order to controvert notions of human perfectibility which were still current in the wake of the French Revolution (1789), and espoused by such writers as William Godwin (1756-1836) and others. Malthus's purpose was to explode such notions based on his view of the inevitable scarcity that would always be a result of human overpopulation. Indeed the full title of Malthus's 1798 essay explicitly cites Godwin: An Essay On the Principle of Population, As It Affects the Future Improvement of Society with remarks on the Speculations of Mr. Godwin, M. Concordet, and other writers.Malthus's essay immediately created a great stir and he brought out a second, much expanded edition in 1803. Further revisions followed in 1806, 1807, 1817 and 1826 but they were much less extensive ("Introduction" to Oxford paperback (1993) by Geoffrey Gilbert, p.xviii.)Perhaps the most controversial section of the Essay (1798) occurs in Chapter V where Malthus attacks the Poor Laws, a decentralized system of poor relief in England, in practice for two hundred years . Malthus's purpose, as he explains throughout and makes clear in his headnote to Chapter V, was to palliate the condition of the poor and he attacked the Poor Laws on the ground that, while they might alleviate short term suffering, in the end, they cause greater suffering.The section of Chapter V which has received the most censure is Malthus's dramatic call for the abolition of the Poor Laws, which has been called audacious; comparable to calling for the "abolition of the National Health Service in Britain today, or the Social Security System in the United States." (Gilbert, p. xvi) Malthus's call to end "welfare as we know it" confirms the view of many on the left that Malthus is solidly in the conservative, right-wing camp.However, in the view of this writer, Malthus's profound understanding of the pressure of population on food supplies should not be overlooked because of his controversial program to end the Poor Laws. (-Wikipedia)Outline of Theories:the populations of the world would increase in geometric proportions while the food resources available for them would increase only in arithmetic proportions.In simple words, if human population was allowed to increase in an uncontrolled way, then the number of people would increase at a faster rate than the food supply. A point would come when human population would reach the limit up to which food sources could support it. Any further increase would lead to population crash caused by natural phenomena like famine or disease.Human society could never be perfected. He believed that man is a lazy animal, who would lead a satisfied life and procreate as long as his family was well fed. However, as soon as human population would feel constraints in food supply due to increase in population, he would again work hard to provide enough for his family. This might lead to an increase in agricultural production to provide for all, but at the same time man would be back to his complacent stage, where all his needs would be fulfilled. This would start the cycle of overpopulation and food shortage, all over again. Having been a clergy, Malthus validated his theory on moral grounds that suffering was a way of making human beings realize the virtues of hard work and moral behavior. Such kind of suffering due to overpopulation and limited food supply was inevitable.Malthus took into account two main assumptions:Food is an essential component for human existence.Humans have the basic urge to multiply.Malthus' theory was based on the assumption that the power of population to multiply is much greater than the power of the earth to provide subsistence for man. In his own words "passion between the sexes is an inevitable phenomenon", hence, when unchecked, population would grow at such a high rate that it would outstrip food supply. According to him, disease, food shortage and death due to starvation, were nature's way to control population. He proposed that human beings adopt measures like infanticide, abortion, delay in marriage and strict following of celibacy to check population growth.Supporting Quotes;“Famine seems to be the last, the most dreadful resource of nature. The power of population is so superior to the power in 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 ten thousands. Should success he still incomplete, gigantic inevitable famine stalks in the rear, and with one mighty blow, levels the population with the food of the world.“Thomas Robert Malthus“I think I may fairly make two postulata. First, that food is necessary to the existence of man.Secondly, that the passion between the sexes is necessary, and will remain nearly in its present state.These two laws ever since we have had any knowledge of mankind, appear to have been fixed laws of our nature; and, as we have not hitherto seen any alteration in them, we have no right to conclude that they will ever cease to be what they now are, without an immediate act of power in that Being who first arranged the system of the universe, and for the advantage of his creatures, still executes, according to fixed laws, all its various operations.” Thomas Robert Malthus“Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio. Subsistence increases only in an arithmetical ratio. A slight acquaintance with numbers will show the immensity of the first power in comparison of the second.”Thomas Robert Malthus“The prodigious waste of human life occasioned by this perpetual struggle for room and food, was more than supplied by the mighty power of population, acting, in some degree, unshackled, from the constant habit of emigration.” Thomas Robert Malthus“Population, when unchecked, goes on doubling itself every twenty-five years, or increases in a geometrical ratio. ... [T]he means of subsistence, under circumstances the most favorable to human industry, could not possibly be made to increase faster than in an arithmetical ratio.”Source: Presentation of the theory (diagram):Malthusians and Neo-MalthusiansCase Study to Support the TheoryIn the 1950's, the island of Mauritius was the closest nation to approach a “Malthusian crisis”. With high birth rates, falling death rates, tendencies to marry young and a low status of women, there was very high population growth. The economy, almost solely dependent upon sugar-cane cultivation, was under severe pressure and on the verge of collapse. The country was poised to fall into a cycle of war, famine and disease due to the growing population which exceeded the country’s ability to obtain sufficient food supplies.?However, a disaster was avoided when the government took control and implemented reforms in the social position of the people by providing better health care and encouraging emigration from the country. The government also improved the status of women by restricting early marriages and setting up an integrated family planning service. These reforms improved the standard of living in the country and although the population is still slowly increasing, there is no evidence of an impending Malthusian crisis.?It is difficult to cite examples which follow Malthus' theory for a number of reasons. Firstly, although there have been numerous wars, diseases, and famine in many countries where the population growth rate has exceeded the rate at which food is produced, we are unable to cite this as the only reason for the destruction. We must always consider the political, economic, and social circumstances which contribute, often negatively, to the situation. Secondly, as of yet, mankind has been able to both increase food production and decrease population growth to avoid a Malthusian crisis. By creating better technology, we have increased food production (e.g. in the green revolution where crops were modified to produce higher yields and become resistant to plant diseases). Many countries have also managed to slow their rate of population growth by decreasing birthrates through empowerment of women, the implementation of family planning, and extensive anti-natal programmes (e.g. The One Child Policy of China, cheap or free abortions in Vietnam and China). This combination of efforts has stopped Malthus’ predictions from coming true.914400182245 ................
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