Thomas Malthus:the Life and Writings

By Jon Mareane

Early Life Origins and Uprbringing

Thomas Robert Malthus was bornin 1766, in Dorking, England

He was the second son of eightchildren, six of whom were girls

Parenting Father Daniel Malthus, was active

in politics and enlightenmentphilosophy

Corresponded with Voltaire,Rousseau and Hume

When Malthus was a child, his father broughtJean-Jacques Rousseau to the Malthus home

http://www.nndb.com/people/250/000024178/malthus.jpg

Education Primary Education

Malthus was educated privately,partly by his father and partly bytutors

Strongly politically driveneducation

Higher Education At the age of eighteen, in

1784, Malthus went up toCambridge

In spite of a "markedimpediment of speech,"Malthus did remarkably well inhis studies

http://pacejmiller.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/cambridge_university.jpg

Principle of Population Essay

Principle of Population essay Full title: “An Essay on the Principle of Population as it affects the

Future Improvement on Society, with Remarks on theSpeculation of Mr. Godwin, M. Condorcet and other Writers.”

Malthuses most famous and paramount work

The basic idea expressed in Malthus’s 50, 000 word “Population”essay was simple; that population increases exponentially whilefood production increases at a constant rate

Deeper Malthusian Theory Humans have two inherent

and insatiable appetites; onefor sex and one for food

Population is controlled by“vice and misery” while undercarrying capacity

Once the populations demandfor food exceeds its supply, theweakest will die off

Impact Controversy

Malthus blamed much of the population problemon the poor

Father of birth control and family planning Religious institutions even today disapprove

Academic reception Theory counteracted the progress they were making

in societal development and change.

Connections to Darwin After reading Malthus’s essay and

connecting it to his findings on hisvoyage to South America did heformulate his theory of naturalselection

Organisms reproduce at anexponential rate, living off theiravailable resources until theresource becomes scarce, atwhich point the population levelsoff and those best suited to takeadvantage of the limited resourcessurvive and evolve.

http://i.livescience.com/images/090206-charles-darwin-02.jpg

Relevance

Recent advances in medical and agriculturaltechnology seemed to have disbandedMalthusian theory

If we broaden the scope of Malthusianthought to include other non-edible resourcessuch as oil and coal, we see that Malthus’sthoughts may still ring true

Works Cited Finance And Economics: Malthus, the false prophet; Economics

focus. (2008, May). The Economist, 387(8580), 94. Retrieved February 21, 2010, from

Platinum Periodicals. (Document ID: 1480833101). John Attarian. (2002). Malthus revisited. The World &

I, 17(11), 257-271. Retrieved February 9, 2010, from Platinum Periodicals. (Document

ID: 228048401) “NPR TALK OF THE NATION.” Interview by Suarez and Cohen.

Malthus. NPR. 10 June 1998. Radio. Unknown. "Malthus, Thomas Robert." The Hutchinson Dictionary

of Ideas 2004: n.p.SIRS Renaissance. Web. 09 February 2010.