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Understanding Malthusianism: Population Growth and Its Checks

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Malthusianism, rooted in the ideas of Thomas Robert Malthus, suggests that population grows geometrically while food supplies increase arithmetically, leading to inevitable societal challenges. As seen in 19th-century Ireland, rapid population growth due to improved food supplies led to crises when the potato blight devastated crops, resulting in mass emigration and death. Malthusian checks include famine, disease, and war, raising questions about sustainability today. This framework remains relevant as modern society grapples with overpopulation and resource management.

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Understanding Malthusianism: Population Growth and Its Checks

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  1. Malthusianism Checks on Population Growth

  2. Background • 1800 – Industrialization in Europe and agricultural modernization brought people to cities. Early theorists worried about population growth.

  3. Thomas Robert Malthus • Population grows geometrically (2X each generation) • Food supplies grow arithmetically • Surplus people will die!

  4. Malthusian Checks on Pop Growth • Famine • Disease or plague • Riots • Looting • Government overthrow • War • Pollution

  5. Ireland: 1750-1850 • Ireland’s population increased very rapidly as the marriage age decreased, the food supplies increased (more potatoes), and smallpox vaccines were distributed • 1767 2 500 000 people1804 5 400 0001841 8 100 000

  6. The potato blight destroyed crops in 1845, 1846, and 1848. • Death and emigration resulted in a loss of 1500 000 in one 10-year period. • Ireland’s present population is about half of its earlier value, or 3 9700 00 in 2004.

  7. Will Malthus be right? • Time, 1999 Nov. 8, Niles Eldredge

  8. Cassandra • Daughter of Priam, King of Troy, and gifted with prophecy • Spurned Apollo, so cursed that no one would believe her • Tried to tell Trojans of soldiers hidden in horse, but …

  9. Pollyana • 1912 book by Eleanor Porter, later a Disney movie • Pollyana chose to be optimistic about the world around her despite much suffering

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