An Essay on the Principle of Population

An Essay on the Principle of Population include: Population Growth: Malthus begins by discussing the exponential nature of population growth emphasizing that populations tend to increase geometrically (exponentially) while resources grow arithmetically (linearly). Resource Scarcity: Malthus argues that as populations increase the demand for resources such as food water and land also increases. He believes that eventually resource scarcity will lead to a crisis. Checks on Population Growth: Malthus introduces the concept of checks that regulate population growth. These checks include positive checks like famine disease and war as well as preventive checks like moral restraint (delaying marriage and reducing birth rates). Iron Law of Population: Malthus presents what is often referred to as the iron law of population suggesting that population growth tends to be held in check by the forces of nature including the checks he mentioned. Criticizing Optimistic Views: Malthus criticizes optimistic views that technological progress and improvements in agriculture would indefinitely alleviate resource constraints and eliminate the need for checks on population growth.