Final answer:
Thomas Malthus's 1798 Essay proposed that unchecked population growth would exceed the growth of food supply, leading to Malthusian disasters like famine, war, and disease to control the population.
Step-by-step explanation:
British economist Thomas Malthus wrote "The Essay on the Principle of Population" in 1798, proposing that human populations would grow exponentially while the food supply at best could only grow arithmetically. Malthus theorized that population growth would lead to famine, war, and disease as checks on population growth, termed "Malthusian disasters." These “positive checks” would increase mortality rates, balancing the population with the available resources, while "preventive checks" like birth control and celibacy could also curb population growth non-destructively. Despite critiques and the advent of technologies and societal changes that have temporarily alleviated such pressures, the core notion of a potential population explosion outstripping resources continues to inform discussions on sustainability and resource management.