Final answer:
Thomas Malthus was the clergyman who predicted a conflict between population growth and food production. His predictions were challenged by technological and agricultural advances, though his ideas still influenced significant scientific theories like Darwin's natural selection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 19th century English clergyman and social thinker who predicted that populations would grow faster than the capacity of agriculture to feed them was Thomas Malthus. In his seminal work, An Essay on the Principle of Population, published in 1798, Malthus postulated that population growth tends to follow an exponential growth pattern, while food production increases at an arithmetical rate. This disparity, according to Malthus, would lead to inevitable poverty, which would persist unless population growth was controlled through 'positive checks' like famine, war, and disease, or through 'preventive checks' like birth control and celibacy.
Despite Malthus's dire predictions, subsequent advances in technology, agricultural practices, and capital utilization led to increases in food production that outpaced his expectations. These innovations included improvements in seeds, irrigation, fertilization, and the use of machines, all contributing to a significant rise in agricultural productivity, particularly in Western societies. It's important to note, however, that Malthus's work influenced other thinkers, including Charles Darwin in his theory of natural selection.