An Essay on the Principle of Population

“It is an obvious truth, which has been taken notice of by many writers, that population must always be kept down to the level of the means of subsistence; but no writer that the Author recollects has inquired particularly into the means by which this level is effected: and it is a view of these means which forms, to his mind, the strongest obstacles in the way to any very great future improvements of society.” 

This sentence summarizes both Malthus’ philosophy and his motive for writing his Essay on the Principle of Population. He declares other great thinkers have noticed that population only grows as their means of subsistence increases. However, not many have attempted to find the reasoning behind this, and the lack of understanding is keeping society from progressing. By doing so, he justifies the reasoning behind his writing his Essay while imbuing the work with a great degree of social significance.

“It has been said that the great question is now at issue, whether man shall henceforth start forwards with accelerated velocity toward illimitable, and hitherto unconceived improvement, or be condemned to a perpetual oscillation between happiness and misery, and after every effort remain still at an immeasurable distance for the wished-for goal.”

The issue highlighted above, that of the perfectibility of humankind, is discussed throughout Malthus’s entire work. This quote provides an important contextual cue, which indicates that the topic of societal progress was, in Malthus’s time, a widely discussed topic. Although it is not seen in this quote, Malthus later engages the writings of Marquis de Condorcet and William Godwin, who are both proponents of progress.

“The advocate for the present order of things is apt to treat the sect of speculative philosophers either as a set of artful and designing knaves [...] or as wild and mad-headed enthusiasts whose silly speculations and absurd paradoxes are not worthy of attention of any reasonable man.” 

This quote evidences one side of the equation on the topic of societal progress. The conservative faction, who are unimpressed by the methodology and optimistic outlook of the progressives, seek to paint them as unscientific. Malthus demonstrates through this passage his acute observation of the back-and-forth between his contemporaries.