Population
The Malthusian Theory of Population The Malthusian Theory of Population is the theory of exponential population growth and arithmetic food supply growth. The theory was proposed by Thomas Robert Malthus. He believed that a balance between population growth and food supply can be established through preventive and positive checks. Major Elements of the Malthusian Theory Population and Food Supply The Malthusian theory explained that the population grows in a geometrical fashion. The population would double in 25 years at this rate. However, the food supply grows in an arithmetic progression. Food supply increases at a slower rate than the population. That is, the food supply will be limited in a few years. The shortage of food supply indicates an increasing population. Checks on Population When the rise in population is greater than the food supply, there is a condition of disequilibrium. As a result, people will not get enough food even for survival. People will die due to a lack ...