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Malthus, Thomas Robert (1766-1834), British economist, whose writings encouraged the first systematic demographic studies. He was born near Guildford, Surrey, England. Malthus's main contribution to economics was his theory, published in An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798), that a population tends to increase faster than the supply of food available for its needs. This theory contradicted the belief prevailing in the early 19th century that a society's fertility would lead to economic progress. Malthus's theory was often used as an argument against efforts to better the condition of the poor.
 

 Thomas Robert Malthus
(1766-1834)

 Going against the writings of Godwin and Rousseau, Malthus, in his famous work, An Essay on the Principle of Population, opined that poverty and distress are unavoidable because population increases faster than the means of subsistence. As checks on population growth, Malthus accepted only war, famine, and disease but later added moral restraint, as well. His theory, at the time of its pronouncement, was most controversial; however, it has not held much currency in the past century, or so; this, because population levels have not come up to the levels expected. The reason, I think, is because of the introduction of inexpensive and readily available birth control procedures; and, of course, because of cultural changes. Malthus, in addition, did not consider the new technology which has increased food production and its distribution. Yet, the world population increases.

 The warning, however, that Malthus gave us back in 1798, is still to be heeded. What cannot be denied, is that a large human population, and more generally our increasing demands, has had, and is continuing to have, an impact on the environment, an environment upon which continuing human existence depends. The difficulty is how we might go about stopping this impact, or reversing it. Government cannot do it, as has been demonstrated time and time again; likely, lower population levels and lower demands will come spontaneously from the people themselves.

 Whatever ones views are on the subject, this is for sure: one should not take Malthus' work as being just a report on population levels; it should be considered (and to this extent the theories expressed by Malthus have application to all societies of all times) that his writings got to the great subject area we know as philosophy. Questions need to be asked and answered, first, before we set our minds to the business of organizing society. The questions need to be first asked is -- What is the nature of man? And what is it that keeps him in check so that he might live out his life peacefully and productively: these are the central questions which Malthus addressed: questions which each of us should be addressing, here, today, in Canada, in the world.

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