Question

How did Malthus's essay support Darwin's idea about natural selection?

A. Malthus's essay did the opposite, as it did not support natural selection.

B. Malthus proposed that an endless amount of resources would lead to greater competition.

C. Malthus proposed that the earth could not support all the offspring produced, leading to a competitive environment.

D. Malthus proposed that a decrease in food supply would lead to organisms producing more offspring.

Answer 1

Malthus's essay support Darwin's idea about natural selection is that B. Malthus's essay did the opposite, as it did not support natural selection. It is stated that population will increase but the resources will remain constant. So as the population increase over time the resources will decreases as it is only constant.

Answer 2

C. Malthus proposed that the earth could not support all the offspring produced, leading to a competitive environment.

Malthus essay was based on two principles: population and resources. He said that population grows exponentially, while resources grow in a linear way. This poses a conflict, as the more the population growth the fewer resources will be available. This leads to a competitive environment, which supports Darwin's theory.