Malthusian Trap and its Importance

Malthus’ ideas have often been cited by contemporary environmentalists and others who believe that human growth is putting unsustainable pressure on the planet’s resources. Malthusian Trap was in the news and discussed for a very long time. Malthusian Trap is an important topic for the exams like UPSC, SSC, State PSC, and others. Students need to be aware of current affairs because this gives them an edge in the exams for scoring good marks. 

What is the Malthusian Trap :

• The Malthusian Trap is a population theory that argues that as the human population grows, it will put unsustainable pressure on Earth’s resources, which will constrain further population growth. 
  
• It is named after British economist Thomas Malthus who elaborated on this concept in his 1798 book Essay on the Principle of Population, which also influenced Charles Darwin. 
  
• Increased food production in a country may lead to better living standards for the general population, but the benefits may be temporary. Malthus argued that as food availability increased, people would have more children.
  
• The Malthus trap was at the heart of Simon Ehrlich’s 1980 wager. Erich, on the other hand, argued, like Malthus, that there are natural limits to economic growth. Simon argues that in a market economy, private property rights and price mechanisms provide great incentives for people to use scarce resources wisely and innovate and that living standards can rise as populations grow. 

Usage of Malthusian Trap :

• In pre-modern times, increased food production led to increased per capita income as long as the population remained stable.
  
• However, the country’s population grew very quickly and per capita income declined, returning to historical trends.
  
• When food production fell, famine broke out and many people died. Population decline continued until the country’s per capita income reached the living standard.
  
• In any event, resource limitations kept the population down. 

Importance of Malthusian Trap :

• The Malthusian trap resulted in an inverse relationship between population and living standards. As the population grows, the standard of living declines.
  
• This theory allows us to understand the concepts of poverty and sustainable economic growth.
  
• It can help plan preventive measures to balance population growth and food supplies, such as delaying marriage, contraception, self-restraint, and frugal living.

Criticism of Malthusian Trap :

• The industrial revolution of the 18th century and 19th centuries broke the historical relationship between population and living standards, disproving Malthus. 
  
• The increased use of artificial technology meant that more products could be produced for every unit of Earth’s resources exploited by humans. In other words, human productivity has increased significantly as a result of the rise of technology.
  
• Since the Industrial Revolution, both population and living standards have improved.
  
• Some argue that as the population grows, more human minds work to solve humanity’s problems, so the potential for groundbreaking innovation increases exponentially.