"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"
- Thomas Malthus
About this Quote
This quote by Thomas Malthus is referring to the concept of population development overtaking the readily available resources. He is suggesting that even in societies that are considered to be "vicious" or unethical, the effort to increase population is still present. This implies that the population is growing faster than the resources available to sustain it. This can result in a scenario where there is inadequate food, water, or other resources to go around, leading to poverty and suffering. Malthus was alerting of the risks of uncontrolled population development and the requirement to ensure that resources are increased in line with population growth. He argued that if this was refrained from doing, then society would suffer the effects. This quote is still relevant today, as population growth continues to surpass the resources offered to sustain it. It is essential to make sure that resources are handled properly which population development is kept in check.