Malthusian theory
- noun
- /mælˈθuːziən ˈθɪəri/
- Formal
:
teoría malthusiana
- According to Malthusian theory, a rapid increase in population can lead to food shortages and economic instability.
Examples
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With regard to a second issue, Malthusian theory predicts that economic prosperity and nutrition lead to increased fertility.
Academic text (1990) -
Continuing with Malthusian theory, we find that, unlike per capita gross national product, per capita calorie supply does not have a statistically significant effect on fertility.
Academic text (1990) -
First, with respect to Marxian and Malthusian theory, the data cover a relatively short time period and are actually measured at only two separate times.
Academic text (1990) -
The Malthusian theory of a limit point to the growth of population was materially disproven by the industrial revolution taking place before his very eyes.
Blog text (34) -
Though population growth remains a serious development issue, the Malthusian theory of arithmetic growth in resources and geometric population growth resulting in poverty and unsustainable lifestyles has been modified to include political, technological, and economic systems as more decisive factors.
Blog text (29) -
At best, it may be repeated that fertility has no apparent effect on economic prosperity or nutrition, as expected by Malthusian theory, and that the influence of fertility on per capita calorie supply in the full equation, although not statistically significant, is positive.
Academic text (1990) -
Malthusian theory receives weak support, classical Marxian theory and neoclassical economic theory little or no support, the unmet need hypothesis some support, and demographic transition theory considerable support in the present study.
Academic text (1990) -
This result, in addition to being consistent with Malthusian theory, is also consistent with Becker's (1976) microeconomic theory of fertility and other economic approaches derived therefrom, which suggest that, all other things being equal, fertility should be positively influenced by wealth or income.
Academic text (1990) -
Thomas Malthus proposed the Malthusian theory, which suggests that population growth can outstrip food production.
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The debate surrounding Malthusian theory revolves around its predictions of famine and societal collapse due to overpopulation.
Synonyms
1
9.9
An idea that population grows faster than food and other resources
Surface Forms
Morphology
Formally the phrase is compositional (adjective + noun) so it denotes a theory related to 'Malthusian' ideas. However, 'Malthusian' is a proper-name-derived, technical label for a specific economic/demographic position about population outpacing resources, so the precise content requires background knowledge and is not fully predictable from the parts for an average learner.
Etymology
Malthusian theory was suggested by Thomas Malthus, who pictured that 'population' can grow fast while 'food' grows slowly. So it became a warning that growing people may outnumber available 'resources', causing shortages.