Principles of Population (Thomas Malthus)

Thomas Malthus, an 18th-century economist, proposed that population tends to grow exponentially while food supply grows arithmetically. He argued that if population growth exceeds food production, it leads to famine, disease, and war, which serve as natural checks on population. Malthus believed that without these checks, society would face severe crises due to overpopulation. His ideas sparked debates about sustainability, resource management, and the balance between human needs and environmental limits, influencing demographic and economic theories even today.