10.1a1 Malthusian Theory

In the late 18th century, Thomas Malthus proposed what became known as Malthusian Theory. Malthus proposed that if population growth were unchecked, the population would outstrip the food supply. Malthus, however, did not account for humans’ ability to grow crops more efficiently and innovate so that the Earth can support a growing population. For example, agricultural innovations have increased crop yields so that the same amount of space can produce more food (Herre et al., 2025).

Moreover, the food supply is shaped by political factors, too. During the 20th century, political decisions, such as war and totalitarianism, were the primary cause of most famines (see Figure 10.2) (Herre et al., 2025). For instance, Nicolae Ceaușescu ruled Romania from 1974 to 1989. Under his dictatorship, Romania exported 80% of the food produced, leaving insufficient food for the people of Romania (Chicago Tribune, 1990). The Romanian people suffered starvation and malnutrition as a result of the political decisions of their leader

The human population’s size affects life on the planet. The size of the population is not necessarily good or bad, but it does affect the social and natural world. A growing population does mean more people consuming natural resources, like fresh water, and producing more garbage and emissions. Further, population growth is uneven. Some parts of the world are growing quickly, while other parts of the world are experiencing population decline. Both of which have consequences for social life.