We explain what Mathusianism is, its postulates and what a Malthusian catastrophe is. Also, we tell you who Thomas Malthus was.
What is Malthusianism?
Malthusian theory or Malthusianism (also written malthusianism) is an economic, demographic and sociopolitical doctrine developed by the British clergyman and economist Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) in his work Essay on the principle of population (1789). In it establishes the existence of a disparate relationship between the growth of the human population and the generation of the resources necessary to sustain it which in his view would lead to the end of civilization and the extinction of the human species at the end of the 19th century.
According to the Malthusian vision, the human population increases according to a geometric progression (that is, by multiplying each figure by the same integer), while the generation of resources necessary to sustain said population increases according to an arithmetic progression (that is, , adding the same integer to each figure).
This means that the rate of population increase is much faster than the rate of increase in the generation of essential resources so that population growth would inevitably lead to resource scarcity and misery, if it were not for major population-regulating events, such as wars, pestilences, famines, among others.
Currently, Malthusianism is considered an unscientific theory, that is, not demonstrable in empirical terms. Likewise, it is a conservative theory, since it served as support and philosophical justification for various political and economic regimes of the reactionary sector of society.
For example, the British Whigs justified their remodeling of the Poor Law in 1834 in Malthusian theories, which considerably reduced the quality of life of the poorest, since it suspended financial aid and in exchange sentenced them to work for food and shelter in institutions. known as “employment houses” (workhouses).
At the same time, Malthus's ideas had an important impact on the thinking of Charles Darwin (1809-1882) and contributed to the formulation of his theory of evolution, and have been a recurring theme in the social sciences throughout history. In fact, the adjective Malthusian It is still used to refer to situations or elements derived from the pressure of population growth on the economy.
Despite the criticisms made of Malthusianism by philosophers such as Karl Marx (1818-1883), among others, Malthus's ideas resurfaced at the end of the 19th century and gave rise to positions known as “neo-Malthusian.” especially the so-called Chicago Group, and even many other political and economic positions of the 20th century.
See also: World overpopulation
Who was Thomas Malthus?
Thomas Robert Malthus was an Anglican clergyman and economist of English origin member of the Royal Society since 1819. He is considered as one of the founding fathers of demography. Educated in the line of thought of the Frenchman Jean-Jacques Rousseau, of whom his father was a close friend, Malthus graduated in philosophy and theology at Jesus College, Cambridge, and was later ordained an Anglican pastor.
However, His greatest contributions were as a professor of economics and political thinker, especially at Haileybury University founded by the East India Company. He taught there from 1805 until his death in 1834. His best known work was Essay on the principle of population published in 1798 anonymously.
What is a Malthusian catastrophe?
The demographic scenarios in which Thomas Malthus's catastrophic predictions are fulfilled are called “Malthusian catastrophe” or “Malthusian trap.” That is, those situations in which the quality of life of the population decreases drastically and sensitively, as a consequence of the uncontrolled increase in the population. Especially when the latter can lead to extinction.
In a Malthusian catastrophe, the increase in population leads to scenarios of scarcity of vital resources and tension between individuals, which makes the survival of the entire population more complicated, precarious or unfeasible.
Continue with: Human geography
References
- “Malthusian catastrophe” on Wikipedia.
- “Malthusianism” in Filosofía.org.
- “Malthus's theory” in the newspaper Clarín (Argentina).
- “Thomas Malthus (English economist and demographer)” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
