Difference between the Malthusian Theory and the Optimum Theory of the Population
Malthusian
Theory of Population in following terms.
(i) Malthus is
pessimistic and afraid of an increase of population. But the optimum theory is
optimistic because it holds that an increase of population may increase the
productivity of the country. An increase of population is welcomed so long the
actual number is less than optimum.
(ii) Malthus
considers the problem of population in relation to the food stuffs of the
country only. But optimum theory considers it in relation to the total wealth
of the country. A country may be short in her food stuffs, but she may be rich
in other resources. Great
Britain produces
only a part of her necessary food-stuffs. But she can meet her shortage by
selling her industrial products and various other services such as banking,
shipping etc and by importing food from abroad.
(iii) But the
defect of the optimum theory lies in the fact that there is no means to
determine the optimum number of a country. Moreover optimum for a country is
not fixed. With the change of data i.e. resources the optimum also changes. For
example if Pakistan possesses optimum number today, and if tomorrow she
discovers some new mines or oil fields, the optimum number of today may be
under- population tomorrow. Conversely with the loss of a good market for
cotton etc the optimum population may be turned into over population.
Thus theory is
not very useful in practice because by a plan or policy we can not achieve the
optimum. The actual population may coincide with the optimum only as accident.
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