An Essay on the Principle of PopulationAs the world's population continues to grow at a frighteningly rapid rate, Malthus's classic warning against overpopulation gains increasing importance. An Essay on the Principle of Population (1798) examines the tendency of human numbers to outstrip their resources, and argues that checks in the form of poverty, disease, and starvation are necessary to keep societies from moving beyond their means of subsistence. Malthus's simple but powerful argument was controversial in his time; today his name has become a byword for active concern about humankind's demographic and ecological prospects. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
agriculture appear argument births to burials causes ceteris paribus CHAPTER check to population Condorcet conjecture consequently considered degree difficulty distress doubt Dr Adam Smith Dr Price earth East India College effect employed England Essay on Population evil excitements exertion existence Godwin greater number happiness human immortality improvement increase of population infer inhabitants intellectual Jesus College Julius Caesar land laws of nature live lower classes maintenance of labour Malthus Malthus's Malthusian mankind manufactures marriage Mary Wollstonecraft means of subsistence ment millions mind misery moral nations necessary observed passion perfectibility perhaps period philosophical Political Economy poor laws popu possess power of population present price of labour primogeniture principle of population probably produce progress proportion of births propositions reason rich savage nation seems society species sufficient suppose tend THOMAS MALTHUS Thomas Robert Malthus tion truth undoubtedly vice Wealth of Nations William Godwin
References to this book
Beyond the Welfare State?: The New Political Economy of Welfare Chris Pierson No preview available - 2006 |