Overpopulation is an issue first addressed in detail by Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, in his meme-generating 1798 text, “An Essay on the Principle of Population”. Malthus asserted that population growth is exponential, while food production is arithmetical. That means that unchecked population growth, according to this model, would result in a lack of capacity in food production, and natural (or human initiated) balance must be maintained, keeping population levels in check.
Malthus thought that checks could be divided into two categories. The first are “Preventative Checks” on overpopulation, largely the result of moral (or religiously) imposed restraints, such as abstinence until marriage, marriage only after one has attained security in the world, as well as harsher, active means imposed on individuals b y others, such as barring those in poverty, or those suffering from “defects”, from marrying.
Of course, as a civil society, in the last fifty years, we have learned a great deal about tolerance toward those suffering with health issues of every sort. There is far less stigma surrounding ill health and disease. Some of Malthus’ ideas would be hotly debated in current World Society. The right to reproduce is a basic human rights that must not be infringed.
Today, many without economic means choose to abort their pregnancy or use contracpetives. The choice is there in many countries, the means is available and cheap, and thus we have Malthus’ concept of barring those in poverty from reproducing active and functioning in society, however self-imposed and not dictated by a State or other organization.
And of course, some states have insisted on forced abortions for families having more than the legally proscribed number of children. Mmany feel that forced abortions by States or other groups results in a far less free society than where abortion is an individual choice. Some argue that making abortion illegal presents a likewise un-free situation, for women specifically.
So how does Malthusian theory fare today? Malthusianism is rejected by Feminists, Marxists, Socialists, many groups “Far Left” politically, as well as Conservatives, and many of those on the “Right” libertarians and free market enthusiasts, American conservatives, and human rights advocates. Each group has its own reasons for its rejection, although arriving at similar conclusion about Malthusian Theory.
Who accepts Mathusian Theory? Neo-Malthusianists believe Population Control is a moral imperative and must be achieved by means of contraception and/or abortion, specifically. Many such individuals and groups consider the environmental hazards of overpopulation as the key concern, while classic Malthusian Theory has an emphasis on overpopulation resulting in starvation and social chaos. While starvation is a very real concern for vast numbers of the world’s people, there is a current emphasis on environmentalism that did not even exist as a concept in Malthus’ time.
In summary, we see that Malthus’ theory is simple, though the amount of controversy and different opinions and ideas on his writings are anything but. And how could we imagine that it would be any other way? This is a weighty topic, one that touches on areas that concern basic human rights versus keeping society in a state where people can enjoy stability. Many disagree with Malthus, stating the modern agricultural methods make these ideas obsolete. In a later writing, we shall address these ideas, and go further in our analysis of the topic.
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