Historical Figures

Thomas Malthus

He was born in 1766 in the south of England into a wealthy family. His father is close to the philosophers David Hume and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. After studying at Jesus College in Cambridge, he became an Anglican pastor. He noted the increase in poverty and in 1798 published his Essay on the principle of population in which he evokes the link between the population and the necessary resources. According to him, the population evolves very quickly, unlike the resources. With insufficient resources for the world's population, disasters such as famines result. Based on this observation, Malthus considers it necessary to regulate population growth by reducing the number of births. Malthusianism was born.

In 1805, he obtained the post of professor of history and political economy at Haileybury College. His meeting with the economist David Ricardo in 1811 allowed him to maintain a rich correspondence and to affirm his theories. He died in Bath in 1834, at the age of 68.

1766 - 1834

Status

Pastor

Economist


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