Critically examine the Malthus Theory of Population

Thomas Robert Malthus an English clergyman made scientific study of the problem of population and published a book “Essay on the Principle of Population”. The book for a century influenced the thinking of the people all over the world. It is still a living influence today. His conclusion, which consists of three general proportions are known as Malthus Theory of Population and are as follows:

(1) Population increases much faster than the increase of food. While population increases in geometrical progression like 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 etc. In other words food supply does not keep pace with the growth of population.

(2) The increase in population must be checked by means of preventive check like latter marriage, artificia birth control etc.

(3) If people do not apply preventive checks, population will continue to grow and will soon outstrip the available food supply. Nature shall then, intervene and positive checks like epidemics, wars, murders and famines shall come into force and ultimately wipe out the surplus of population.

Malthus recommended the use of preventive check. Other wise “Nature” said Malthus “will restore the equilibrium if man fails to check his own growth. Malthus said, “The table to nature is laid for a limited number of guests and those who come uninvited must starve”.

Criticism of the Theory:

The Malthus Theory of Population has been vehemently criticised by modern writers. Malthus has in fact, been called a dismal economist and a gloomy prophet. The main points of criticism are as follows:

1.         Malthusian Theory of Population is not entirely correct. It was certainly correct at the tiem when Malthus propounded it; but since then the world has considerably changed and many forces unforeseen by Malthus have come into play and have rendered with theory inapplicable to modern times. During the time when Malthus lived, the population of Great Britain was on an increase food supply was getting scanty. But these conditions have now become things of past. In recent times population of Great Britain has increased only insignificantly. Englandhas today become a great manufacturing nation and though she does not produce enough food for her dense population, she can exchange her manufactured products with the agricultural products of other countries and sustains a much larger population than what Malthus could imagine.

2.         Malthus, in fact exaggerated the rate of increase of population.

(a) He did not realise the biological fact that the fecundity of human beings diminishes with advance of civilization.

(b) A general rise in standard of living of the world population has decreased births. Malthus did not foresec all these developments.

(c) He also fails to give weight to the various social tendencies which today operate against large families.

3.         Malthus also failed to foresee the rapid increase in the production of food stuffs which modern nations can command.

(a) He did not realise that law of Diminishing Returns could be checked by improvements in methods of agriculture.

(b) He did not also understand that food-supply produced by a nation is not an effective limit to her population, the limit is in fact set by the quantity of food-stuffs that a country can command, either by herself producing it or by importing it from other countries. A manufacturing country may grow very little food-stuffs but may export its manufactured goods and import food supplies instead and may thus support a very heavy population.