Thomas Malthus
Definition
An English economist and demographer who proposed that while population grows geometrically, food production increases arithmetically, leading to overpopulation and resource scarcity.
Analogy
Think of Thomas Malthus as a strict math teacher. He's trying to explain that if you keep adding more students (population) into a classroom (the world) without increasing the number of desks or textbooks (resources), eventually there won't be enough resources for everyone.
Related terms
Malthusian Theory: The theory proposed by Thomas Malthus that population growth will outpace agricultural production, leading to overpopulation and resource scarcity.
Population Growth Rate: The increase in a country's population during a period of time, usually one year, expressed as a percentage of the population at the start of that period.
Carrying Capacity: The maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can support sustainably over the long term without damaging the environment.
"Thomas Malthus" appears in:
Subjects (1)
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (14)
Which perspective does Thomas Malthus' theory on population growth align with most closely?
Where did Thomas Malthus base his theories about overpopulation?
Who was Thomas Malthus?
Where is the country that Thomas Malthus was from and where he developed his theory?
How does Ester Boserup's theory differ from Thomas Malthus's perspective on population growth?
Which of the following is a significant critique of Thomas Malthus’s theory on population growth?
In terms of geography, which aspect did Thomas Malthus neglect when he proposed his theory about population growth?
Although Thomas Malthus predicated that global starvation would occur when population exceeded food supply capacity, why has this not happened yet?
What is the primary weakness of Thomas Malthus' population theory?
Where was Thomas Malthus, the proponent of the Malthusian Theory, originally from?
What is the fundamental premise of Thomas Malthus's theory on population?
Why has criticism emerged against the predictions made by Thomas Malthus regarding global starvation due to overpopulation?
How has demographic transition model defied the predictions made by Thomas Malthus regarding exponential population growth?
What does Thomas Malthus' population theory suggest?
Resources
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.