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Thomas Malthus

Thomas Malthus Quotes

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Thomas Malthus, a British economist and demographer, was born on February 14, 1766, in Surrey, England, and died on December 23, 1834. Malthus is known for his theory of population, which posits that population growth will outstrip food supply, leading to poverty and suffering.

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All Population Increase Men Economy May Humans Earth Poor Class Country Law Mean Subsistence Years Evil Has Beens Ifs Ratios World Causes

Famous Thomas Malthus Quotes

“I do not know that any writer has supposed that on this earth man will ultimately be able to live without food.”

Knows Men Able Earth Economy

Book:Population: The First Essay

Source: Population: The First Essay

“It is an acknowledged truth in philosophy that a just theory will always be confirmed by experiment.”

Philosophy Economy Theory Experiments

Book:An Essay on the Principle of Population: Illustrated

Source: An Essay on the Principle of Population: Illustrated

“The histories of mankind are histories only of the higher classes.”

Class Economy Mankind Higher

Author:Thomas Malthus

“The science of political economy is essentially practical, and applicable to the common business of human life. There are few branches of human knowledge where false views may do more harm, or just views more good.”

Humans May Political Views Common Economy Harm Practicals Human Life Branches Human Knowledge Political Economy

Book:An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

Source: An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

“It has been said, and perhaps with truth, that the conclusions of Political Economy partake more of the certainty of the stricter sciences than those of most of the other branches of human knowledge.”

Humans Has Beens Said Political Economy Conclusion Certainty Branches Human Knowledge Political Economy

Book:An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

Source: An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

“The constant effort towards population, which is found even in the most vicious societies, increases the number of people before the means of subsistence are increased.”

People Mean Found Numbers Effort Economy Increase Constant Population Vicious Subsistence

Book:An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

Source: An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

“The great and unlooked for discoveries that have taken place of late years have all concurred to lead many men into the opinion that we were touching on a period big with the most important changes.”

Men Years Important Bigs Opinion Economy Taken Periods Late Discovery Touching

Book:The Works of Thomas Robert Malthus

Source: The Works of Thomas Robert Malthus

“The power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man.”

Men Earth Economy Greater Produce Population Subsistence World Population

Book:An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

Source: An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

“A writer may tell me that he thinks man will ultimately become an ostrich. I cannot properly contradict him.”

Thinking Men May Economy Ostriches

Book:Population: The First Essay

Source: Population: The First Essay

“The main peculiarity which distinguishes man from other animals is the means of his support - the power which he possesses of very greatly increasing these means.”

Men Mean Animal Support Economy

Author:Thomas Malthus

“The rich, by unfair combinations, contribute frequently to prolong a season of distress among the poor.”

Poor Economy Rich Seasons Combination Unfair Distress

Book:An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

Source: An Essay on the Principle of Population and Other Writings

“I think it will be found that experience, the true source and foundation of all knowledge, invariably confirms its truth.”

Thinking Found Economy Source Foundation

Book:An Essay on the Principle of Population: Illustrated

Source: An Essay on the Principle of Population: Illustrated

“In a state therefore of great equality and virtue, where pure and simple manners prevailed, the increase of the human species would evidently be much greater than any increase that has been hitherto known.”

Humans Has Beens States Simple Known Economy Virtue Greater Pure Increase Species Equality Manners Human Species

Book:An Essay on the Principle of Population: Illustrated

Source: An Essay on the Principle of Population: Illustrated