2.6) Malthusian Theory

Explain theories of population growth and decline

Malthusian Theory

• Carrying Capacity: The amount of population that a location can support without harming the environment

  • Geographers way of saying “overpopulation”

• Thomas Malthus

  • Lived in England in the 1700s

  • Experinced the Industrial Revolution

    • Rising life expectancy, lower death rates

  • 1798 published An Essay on the Principles of Population Growth

J curve!!

Malthus’ Claim:

• Population grows exponentially while food output only grow arithmetically.

• This would result in a food shortage and famine due to overpopulation

Positive checks on population (cause large-scale deaths and widespread misery and papin)

• Famine

• Disease

• war

Negative checks or preventative

• Abortion

• Delayed marriage (until able to support a family)

• Birth Control

• Celibacy

Criticisms of Malthusian Theory

1. Factors that have slowed population growth:

• Contraceptives

• Education and advancement of women

2. Factors that have increased the efficiency of farming:

• Mechanized Farming

• Hybrid Seeds

• Chemical Fertilizers

3. New Technologies and Inventions:

• More efficient travel to deliver food to a wider range of consumers without spoiling

• Refrigeration in trucks and railcars as well as homes to preserve food

• Tin Cans to preserve food for longer time periods

Boserup’s Theory

Boserup’s Claim

• Food supply is impacted directly by population growth. As population increases humans will develop new technologies to also increase production of food supply

Neo-Malthusians

Neo = New

Concerns about sustainable use of the environment - the earth’s resources cannot only sustain a finite (limited) populaion. Argue for resource conservation

• Decreasing birth rates in developed countries

• Strain on natural resources

  • Water insecurity, Desertification, pollution of air and water, etc.

• Over consumption

• Famine & Starvation