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Malthusianism. Checks on Population Growth. Background. 1800 – Industrialization in Europe and agricultural modernization brought people to cities. Early theorists worried about population growth. Thomas Robert Malthus. Population grows geometrically (2X each generation)
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Malthusianism Checks on Population Growth
Background • 1800 – Industrialization in Europe and agricultural modernization brought people to cities. Early theorists worried about population growth.
Thomas Robert Malthus • Population grows geometrically (2X each generation) • Food supplies grow arithmetically • Surplus people will die!
Malthusian Checks on Pop Growth • Famine • Disease or plague • Riots • Looting • Government overthrow • War • Pollution
Ireland: 1750-1850 • Ireland’s population increased very rapidly as the marriage age decreased, the food supplies increased (more potatoes), and smallpox vaccines were distributed • 1767 2 500 000 people1804 5 400 0001841 8 100 000
The potato blight destroyed crops in 1845, 1846, and 1848. • Death and emigration resulted in a loss of 1500 000 in one 10-year period. • Ireland’s present population is about half of its earlier value, or 3 9700 00 in 2004.
Will Malthus be right? • Time, 1999 Nov. 8, Niles Eldredge
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