Thomas Malthus: Pessimistic views of Natural resources and Food

Thomas Malthus 1766-1864

Findings and Studies

Thomas Malthus studied the relationship between population and food supply. 

Malthus generally had a pessimistic approach; his theory was highly controversial and went aganist counter-cultural norms (he was an idealist)

His theory appeared in 'An essay on the principles of population' 

In it, he illustrated that: 

• Population growth occured in a geometric fashion (2,4,6,8) while food produced arithmetically (1,2,3,4)

Therefore, food would never be produced enough to sustain human needs as it can't keep up with population growth.

NEOMALTHUSIANS (new age) see population growth leads to economic stagnation…