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    Unit 2 Module 1

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    Stacy Ben
    Thomas Malthus' theory of population growth proposed that population increases geometrically while subsistence increases arithmetically, leading to natural checks on population such as poverty, famine, and disease. Marx disagreed, arguing that poverty results from the exploitation of workers by the capitalist class who accumulate surplus value. Demographic transition theory identifies five stages of population change from high birth/death rates to low birth/death rates as countries develop, with modern examples including India in stage 2 and Japan in stage 5.

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    Unit 2 Module 1

    Uploaded by

    Stacy Ben
    287 views2 pages
    Thomas Malthus' theory of population growth proposed that population increases geometrically while subsistence increases arithmetically, leading to natural checks on population such as poverty, famine, and disease. Marx disagreed, arguing that poverty results from the exploitation of workers by the capitalist class who accumulate surplus value. Demographic transition theory identifies five stages of population change from high birth/death rates to low birth/death rates as countries develop, with modern examples including India in stage 2 and Japan in stage 5.

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    Thomas Malthus' theory of population growth proposed that population increases geometrically while subsistence increases arithmetically, leading to natural checks on population such as poverty, famine, and disease. Marx disagreed, arguing that poverty results from the exploitation of workers by the capitalist class who accumulate surplus value. Demographic transition theory identifies five stages of population change from high birth/death rates to low birth/death rates as countries develop, with modern examples including India in stage 2 and Japan in stage 5.

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    287 views2 pages

    Unit 2 Module 1

    Uploaded by

    Stacy Ben
    Thomas Malthus' theory of population growth proposed that population increases geometrically while subsistence increases arithmetically, leading to natural checks on population such as poverty, famine, and disease. Marx disagreed, arguing that poverty results from the exploitation of workers by the capitalist class who accumulate surplus value. Demographic transition theory identifies five stages of population change from high birth/death rates to low birth/death rates as countries develop, with modern examples including India in stage 2 and Japan in stage 5.

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    Unit 2 Module 1

    POPULATION STUDIES
    Theories of Population
    Thomas Malthus' theory of population is based upon two propositions:
    1.

    Unchecked population increases in a geometrical ratio

    2. Subsistence increases in an arithmetical ratio.


    To Malthus, the 'natural law' principle operates to keep population growth in check. What does this
    mean? Natural law - is taken to be a basic principle of how nature works. In the case of population,
    Malthusian arguments postulate that population has the tendency to increase beyond nature's ability
    to support it (in terms of food & shelter). Consequently, Malthus contends that natural law in
    human population helps to keep it in check through two methods:
    1.

    Fertility control (this may be involuntary due to fertility complications, or voluntary, through
    the use of moral restraint, postponement of marriage, (or the contemporary use of family
    planning methods).

    2. Positive checks - this refer to phenomena that would increase mortality, eg. natural disasters,
    high risk jobs, diseases etc...
    Altogether, Malthus believed that poverty, famine, disease are all elements of natural law attempting
    to bring balance between population growth and subsistence levels.

    Marxian Theory of Population - Marx and Engels disagreed with Malthus' theory of population.
    Marx believed that:
    1. Malthus theory was devised to justify and perpetuate inequality in society.
    2. They also believed that the poor/disadvantaged groups were essentially the reserve army of
    labour, which helps to ensure capital accumulation to the ruling class.
    To Marx, the fact of poverty, is in reality the result of exploitation of the owners of the technology to
    produce, who simultaneously hold vast reserves of capital in the form of land, property all of which
    gives them political power.
    Marx contends that the law of capital accumulation i.e. the accumulation of surplus value in the
    hands of the capitalist class leads to the poverty of the population that constitutes the source of the
    surplus value. "Capital accumulation unavoidably leads to the unemployment of a sector of the
    available labour force"(Gimenez).

    Demographic Transition Theory:


    This refer to the changes in population over time. This theory emphasizes the stages in the
    development of population. The transition in population vary from society to society.
    The classical demographic transition theory identifies four stages:

    Stage 1 : The High Stationary


    In this stage birth and death rates are high.
    Population growth is low
    Life expectancy is low
    Reasons for these changes - Lack of family planning, influence of religion on daily life
    Stage 2 : Early Expanding
    High birth and rapidly declining death rates.
    Reasons for these changes - Lack of family planning, influence of religion on daily life
    Modern day examples of countries in this stage includes - India, Kenya and Egypt
    Stage 3 : Late Expanding
    Continued decline in birth rates
    Death rates continue at a constant low rate
    Reasons for these changes - Improved medical/health care, lowering infant/child mortality rates,
    healthy diets
    Modern day examples of countries in this stage includes - Brazil
    Stage 4 : Low Stationary
    Both birth and death rates are low
    Occasionally there may be fluctuations with one being slightly higher than the other
    Reasons for these changes - Good health care, later marriages, improvement in women's status
    Modern day examples of countries in this stage includes - Japan, France, UK
    Stage 5: Declining
    Birth rates are low
    Death rates are very low
    Slow decrease in population
    There may also be the tendency for depopulation to occur.
    Reasons for these changes - Good health care, later marriages, improvement in women's status

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