how do you feel and what are your reactions about the Malthusian theory?

Question

In the late eighteenth century Thomas Malthus developed a theory of population growth, in which he warned of disaster. This theory was known as the Malthusian theory. He predicted population would increase according to a geometric progression. Food production would only increase in arithmetic progression. Some reasons why his projections have not been realized are discussed. Still, critics point out that greater economic productivity has caused problems for the surroundings. Also, population growth remains very high in poor nations. The rapid population growth would lead to social chaos. At such a rate, Malthus concluded that world population would soon go out of control. It was the unexpected population growth two centuries ago that sparked the growth of demography. Malthus presented a disturbing vision of the future: people reproducing further than what the planet could feed. It would then eventually lead to widespread starvation.

Answer 1

I agree, its very valid today although its masked by optimism in america

Answer 2

He was wrong about the population growth rate and why people had children. With improvements in health care and the high probability babies would survive to adulthood fertility rates fell dramatically first in the developd nations but in the last fifty years almost everywhere except the poverty stricken nations of Africa. The world fertility rate has fallen from 5 births per woman in 1950 to about 2.5 today.The latest UN report estimates are the the world fertility rate will fall to or below replacement level 2.1 births per woman by 2030 and the actual population will begin to fall by 2050. The "Green" revolution increased food output so a world wide food shortages did not develope, and it is estimated we could sustain double the world present population at subsistence levels. It is possible that this could be expanded with even more with yet to be developed breakthroughs in farming technology.

Answer 3

This nonsense is still being supported. The Population Bomb was a book in the 1960s which stated the Earth would not be able to support humans in the year 2000 due to overpopulation.

It is another example of garbage "pop" science.

See Eugenics (1930s forward), The Coming Ice Age (1970s) & Global Warming (1990s forward) for further examples of faulty science supported by non scientists due to propoganda.

Answer 4

In a sense, the Malthusian Theory of Population is one of the few economic propositions which has come to be true, despite the large leaps in technolgy in the decades of the 20th and 21st centuries. Just see what is happening to the countries with high density of population countries(other than Japan) like China, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia. The extent of poverty shows that disaster is almost inevitable, even if not in terms of death from famine. Terrorism, malnutrition, non-availabilty of drinking water, poor medicl facilities, low incoms (poverty level conditions), corruption, military dictatorships, religious fueds, political instability are all modern day equivalence of social chaos and mass deaths.

Answer 5

he failed to take into account technological progress in agriculture. In fact, western countries are capable of producing two times more food than they need.

But is holds true in Africa where many nations are too unstable to operate modern farms.