Introduction / Context:
Thomas Robert Malthus was a classical economist and demographer whose ideas still influence population studies, development economics, and environmental debates. His famous Malthusian theory is often referred to in discussions about overpopulation and resource scarcity. This question checks your ability to link the name Malthus with the correct concept in social science and economics.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The theory referred to is specifically the Malthusian theory.
- Options include poverty, employment, diseases, and population growth.
- The question asks which issue the theory is associated with, not the consequences discussed later.
- We assume standard textbook treatment of Malthus ideas.
Concept / Approach:
Malthus argued that population, if unchecked, tends to grow in geometric progression, while food production and other resources grow only in arithmetic progression. According to him, this imbalance leads to shortages, misery, and checks on population such as famine, disease, and war. The central focus of his theory is therefore population growth and its relation to resources, not simply poverty or employment in isolation.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Malthus wrote an Essay on the Principle of Population.
Step 2: Understand that he compared the rate of population growth with the slower growth of food supply.
Step 3: Recognise that his main worry was unchecked population growth outstripping resources, leading to distress.
Step 4: From the options, identify population growth as the core issue discussed in his theory.
Step 5: Therefore select population growth as the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Any standard economics or demography textbook summarises Malthus view in simple terms: population increases faster than the means of subsistence, causing a population trap. Many later theories criticise or modify his conclusions, but they all acknowledge that his key subject was population growth. This repeated emphasis in academic material confirms that population growth is the correct choice.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Poverty and inequality: These can be outcomes in Malthus narrative, but his theory is not primarily framed as a theory of poverty. It is framed as a theory of population dynamics.
Employment and unemployment: Malthus did discuss labour to some extent, but his major contributions are not about employment theory.
Spread of diseases: Disease appears in his theory as one of the natural checks on population, but again the central topic is population, not disease itself.
Common Pitfalls:
Because Malthus discussed famine, disease, and misery, some students wrongly associate his theory directly with poverty or disease. The safe exam strategy is to remember the phrase Malthusian theory of population and link his name directly with population growth and resource limits. This mental connection will help you avoid confusion when similar options appear.
Final Answer:
The Malthusian theory is mainly associated with
population growth and its relation to resources.
Discussion & Comments