Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, a renowned British cleric and scholar, made significant contributions to the fields of political economy and demography. His influential work, An Essay on the Principles of Population, challenged prevailing theories of evolution and population growth. Malthus argued that the rate at which the population was increasing would eventually outpace food production, leading to widespread starvation. He advocated for long-term stability over short-term practicality and criticized the Poor Laws while supporting the Corn Laws. Despite being misunderstood and misrepresented, Malthus’s theories, known as the Malthusian economy, gained popularity in the 20th century with the rise of Keynesian economics. Today, he remains one of the most debated and influential writers and economists of all time.
Quick Facts
- British Celebrities Born In February Died At Age: 68
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Harriet
- Father: Daniel Malthus
- Mother: Henrietta Malthus
- Children: Emily, Henry, Lucy
- Economists
- British Men
- Died on: December 23, 1834
- Place of death: Bath, England
- Education: Jesus College, Cambridge, University of Cambridge
Childhood & Early Life
Thomas Robert Malthus was born to Daniel and Henrietta Malthus in Surrey, England. He was the seventh child of the couple. Young Malthus received his preliminary education at home in Bramcote, Nottinghamshire. It was only in 1782 that he enrolled at the Warrington Academy for formal education. However, to his bad luck, the Academy was shut down in 1783. In 1784, he gained admission at Jesus College, Cambridge. While at the college in Cambridge, he mastered not only English narrative, but Latin and Greek as well. Graduating from the same, he subsequently enrolled for a Master’s degree, which he eventually attained in 1791. Two years henceforth, he was elected as a Fellow of Jesus College. In the year 1789, he became a curate at the Oakwood Chapel, in the parish of Wotton, Surrey, abiding by the orders of the Church of England.
Career
In 1798, he released his most well-known work, ‘Essay on the Principle of Population’. The work though not well received then, argued the fact that the increase in the population would eventually lead to a diminished ability of the world to feed itself. He claimed that if the rate at which population expansion took place steadied at the same pace then it would clearly overtake the rate at which land development for crops are foresighted. The work stirred a number of arguments as it was much in contrast to the then line of belief. However, with the introduction of the Keynesian economics in the 20th century, his views and arguments began to be seen in the popular light yet again. Coming under the spotlight, he continued to pen his ideologies and beliefs and between 1798 and 1826 he came up with six editions of ‘An Essay on the Principle of Population’. Each edition of ‘An Essay on the Principle of Population’ was updated than the previous one and presented an updated account with new line of belief, criticism of the older one and newly found changes in the perspective. It also included pointers for the future improvement of the society at large. In 1799, he undertook a tour of the European countries along with close friends, Edward Daniel Clarke and John Marten. Throughout the tour, he collected population data. In 1802, he moved to France and Switzerland during the Peace of Amiens. The following year, he was appointed a rector of Walesby, Lincolnshire. In 1805, he took the office of the Professor of History and Political Economy at the East India Company College in Hertfordshire, thus becoming the first ever to hold the academic office. It was there that he earned the nickname, ‘Pop’ or ‘Population’ Malthus due to his works. In 1818, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society. During the beginning of the 1820s decade, he was a part of the discussion forum ‘Malthus-Ricardo debate’ wherein both of them presented their views and proponents of the political economy. They even discussed about the nature and value of rent. In 1821, he was the founding member of the Political Economy Club. Three years later, he was elected as one of the ten royal associates of the Royal Society of Literature. In 1834, he was chosen as one of the first fellows of the Statistical Society that was founded the same year.
Personal Life & Legacy
In 1804, he got married to Harriet, daughter of John Eckersall of Claverton House, St. Catherine’s, near Bath, Somerset. The couple was blessed with two children, a son and daughter. His son, Henry rose to the rank of a Vicar of Effingham, Surrey, in 1835, and of Donnington, West Sussex, in 1837. He died an untimely death on December 23, 1834 at his father-in-law’s house. He was interred at Bath Abbey.
Trivia
This English economist is best known for his hugely influential theories on population growth.