Malthusian population theory

Name: Thomas Malthus
Date: 1798

Main Arguments:

• Population increases faster than food supply and supporting resources
• Increasing population could lead to war, famine and disease
• PREVENTION: Celibacy, delaying marriage and having less children
• War, famine and disease are good things as they increase mortality

Limitations/Criticisms:

• Didn't foresee the development of new technology like GM crops
• Was wrong in assuming that overpopulation was the reason for famine, there are many factors, like war
• Didn't consider that people would eventually control their birth rates

Case Study:

In 1960 Mauritius had finite island and the fastest growing population in the world.

Most of the land was used to grow sugar, but it was a cash crop that went to MEDCs.

How it was solved:

Family planning meant that fertility rates were halved from 6 children a woman to 3.

Promotion of contraception meant that in 2001 the population was 1.1 million where it would have otherwise been 3 million.