Question

According to Willis, what is Malthus' argument? What is one main critique?

a) Malthus argues for unlimited population growth, critiqued for ignoring resources
b) Malthus argues for controlled population growth, critiqued for neglecting social factors
c) Malthus argues population growth is limited by resources, critiqued for overlooking technology
d) Malthus argues for resource abundance, critiqued for overemphasis on technological factors

Answer 1

According to Willis, Malthus argued that population growth is limited by resources, and one main critique is that he overlooked the impact of technology on food production.

Step-by-step explanation:

Thomas Malthus' argument, as outlined by Willis, is that population growth is limited by the available resources such as food and water. Malthus' theory is often summarized by his statement that 'the increase in population is necessarily limited by the means of subsistence.' He identified war, famine, and disease as 'positive checks' and advocated for 'preventive checks' like moral restraint to control population size.

One of the main critiques of Malthus' theory is that he overlooked the impact of technology on food production. Critics point out that technological advancements have greatly increased the efficiency and output of food production, thus enabling food supply to keep up with or even exceed population growth, a phenomenon Malthus did not anticipate.