Thomas Malthus 1798 Flashcards
What does Thomas Malthus argue?
He argues that population tends to increase faster than their means of subsistence.
At what rate does he state that population increases at?
He states that population increases at a geometric rate (1, 2, 4, 8, 16)
At what rate does he state that food supplies increases at?
He states that food supplies increases at an arithmetic rate (1, 2, 3, 4)
What is an imbalance between population and resources called?
The point of crisis.
What does the point of crisis indicate?
The start of overpopulation
What are positive checks?
These are war, famine, poverty and disease which would reduce the population to a level which could be supported by resources.
What are preventative checks?
These are late marriages and sexual abstinence which allow the population to police itself and prevent the point of crisis.
Positives of this theory?
The Gulf war can be explained by the need to access resources such as oil. Birth control supporters also support the theory in checking of populations in a preventative way.
Negatives of this theory?
The theory is too simplistic as wars have started over history for other reasons other than competition over resources. A shortage of resources leads to significant migration towards areas of underpopulation.
