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  14. <title>Malthus -- Political Economy -- Reading Revolutions</title>
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  33. <td BGCOLOR="#666666" valign="top">&nbsp;&nbsp;<br></td>
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  36. <td BGCOLOR="#C0C0C0"><blockquote>
  37. <blockquote><blockquote>
  38. <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
  39. size="-1">Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834)&nbsp;&nbsp; <br>
  40. British economist, minister, teacher<br>
  41. <br>
  42. <b>An Essay on the Principle of Population, as it affects the Future
  43. Improvement of Society, with Remarks on the Speculations of Mr
  44. Godwin, M. Condorcet and Other Writers</b> (1798)<br>
  45. <br>
  46. <b>Observations on the Effects of the Corn Laws, and of a rise or
  47. fall in the price of corn on the agriculture and general wealth of
  48. the country</b> (1814)&nbsp; (see <a href="Corn_Laws.html">Corn Laws</a>)<br>
  49. <br>
  50. <b>Definitions in Political economy:&nbsp; Preceded by an inquiry into the rules which ought to guide political economists in the definition and use of their terms; with remarks on the derivation from these rules in their writings</b> (1827)<br>
  51. <br>
  52. <b>A Summary View of the Principle of Population</b> (1830)<br><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
  53. size="-1"><br>
  54. </font><b><font size="2" face="Tahoma">Principles of Political
  55. Economy:&nbsp; Considered with a View to their Practical Application</font></b>
  56. (1820)</p>
  57. </blockquote></blockquote>
  58. </blockquote>
  59. </font>
  60. </td>
  61. </tr>
  62. <tr>
  63. <td><blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>
  64. <blockquote>
  65. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><br>
  66. The
  67. first edition of <i>Principles of Political Economy: Considered with a
  68. View to their Practical Application </i>appeared in 1820, seven years
  69. later Malthus followed it with <i>Definitions in Political Economy</i>.&nbsp;
  70. While he is best known for his theory of population and the supply of
  71. sustenance, his works on the economic system and its functioning is
  72. closely related.&nbsp; </font></p>
  73. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
  74. <a href="pictures/Malthus/malthus.jpg">
  75. <img border="0" src="pictures/Malthus/malthus_w.jpg" width="247" height="350" align="left" hspace="6"></a>During
  76. this time in England and, for that matter, the world, the entire system
  77. of economic exchange and balance had been revolutionized by the
  78. industrial revolution, colonialism, the steam engine, and urbanization.&nbsp;
  79. The economy was no longer localized; it was well on its way to
  80. globalization.&nbsp; The Corn Laws, first passed in England in 1804 and
  81. subsequently revised numerous times, created a micro- macro- economic
  82. case study about which Malthus and others could argue and observe.&nbsp;
  83. In his <i>Observations on the Effects of the Corn Laws </i>(see below
  84. for text) Malthus argues with Smith's position concerning the effects of
  85. the laws, labor costs, and trade.</font></p>
  86. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Malthus
  87. was trained as a minister, but spent his career as Professor of Modern
  88. History and Political Economy at the East India College in Haileybury.&nbsp;
  89. According to Malthus, population is kept in balance either by
  90. devastation or self-interest.&nbsp; If the poor are allowed to reach a
  91. higher standard of living, they will restrain population growth to
  92. become upwardly mobile and to have enough to provide a similar
  93. opportunity for their children.&nbsp; This was radical thought in the
  94. early 1800's.&nbsp; Many preferred to allow the &quot;natural&quot; course of
  95. starvation and illness to weed out the population, agreeing with Malthus'
  96. pessimistic view that the poor would be unable to exercise
  97. self-restraint.&nbsp; They also liked Malthus' view that helping the
  98. poor only took resources from those who would make better use of them.&nbsp;
  99. So, on the one hand, Malthus was in favor of creating an economy to
  100. allow the poor to better themselves and at the same time against the
  101. &quot;helping hand&quot;.&nbsp; </font></p>
  102. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
  103. Theoretical criticisms came from people like Everett and Godwin, among
  104. others.&nbsp; Everett questioned the geometric progression as a model
  105. for population growth.&nbsp; Full text from both authors is available
  106. below.</font></p>
  107. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">The
  108. theoretical arguments concerning the economy by Malthus, Ricardo, Smith,
  109. and others both described the rise of the mercantile economy and helped
  110. to mold and shape it.&nbsp; The various roles of government, banking,
  111. money, property and capital were defined and created the system we live
  112. with today.<br>
  113. &nbsp;</font></p>
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  152. <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1" color="#FFFFFF">
  153. The enlargements of the document are sufficient for easy reading
  154. -- they will be a slow download on a modem.&nbsp; The
  155. photographs of Principles of Political Economy
  156. may be used freely on non-commercial sites (no
  157. advertisements) and for educational purposes.&nbsp; Please
  158. link to this site for the copyright.</font></td>
  159. </tr>
  160. </table>
  161. </div>
  162. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
  163. size="-1">
  164. Quotations:</font></p>
  165. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
  166. Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio.
  167. Subsistence increases only in an arithmetical ratio. A slight
  168. acquaintance with numbers will show the immensity of the first power in
  169. comparison of the second.&nbsp; (<i>An Essay on the Principle of
  170. Population</i>, 1798)</font></p>
  171. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">The
  172. number of labourers also being above the proportion of work in the
  173. market, the price of labor must tend towards a decrease; while the price
  174. of provisions would at the same time tend to rise.&nbsp; (<i>An Essay on
  175. the Principle of Population</i>, 1798)</font></p>
  176. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">To state
  177. these facts is not to favour taxes; but to give one of the strongest
  178. reasons against them; namely, that they are not only a great evil on
  179. their first imposition, but that the attempt to get rid of them
  180. afterwards, is often attended with fresh suffering.&nbsp; (<i>Principles
  181. of Political Economy</i>, Section X, On the Immediate Causes of the
  182. Progress of Wealth, 1820)<br>
  183. &nbsp;&nbsp; <br>
  184. </font></p>
  185. </blockquote>
  186. </td>
  187. </tr>
  188. <tr>
  189. <td BGCOLOR="#C0C0C0"><blockquote>
  190. <blockquote><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
  191. size="-1"><b>Further
  192. Resources:</b><br>
  193. <br>
  194. <b>Works by Thomas Robert, Malthus (1766-1834)</b><br>
  195. <br>
  196. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4239">An Essay on the
  197. Principle of Population</a> (1798) from Project
  198. Gutenberg</font><p>
  199. <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
  200. size="-1"><a href="http://www.econlib.org/library/Malthus/malPop.html">An Essay
  201. on the Principle of Population</a> as It Affects the Future
  202. Improvement of Society, with Remarks on the Speculations of Mr.
  203. Godwin, M. Condorcet, and Other Writers.&nbsp; London: J. Johnson,
  204. 1798. <b>First edition</b>.&nbsp; from The Library of Economics and
  205. Liberty<br>
  206. <br>
  207. <a href="http://www.econlib.org/library/Malthus/malPlong.html">An
  208. Essay on the Principle of Population</a>: A View of its Past and
  209. Present Effects on Human Happiness; with an Inquiry into Our
  210. Prospects Respecting the Future Removal or Mitigation of the Evils
  211. which It Occasions<br>
  212. Published: London: John Murray, 1826. <b>Sixth edition</b>.&nbsp;
  213. First published: 1798.&nbsp; from The Library of Economics and
  214. Liberty<br>
  215. <br>
  216. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4334">Observations on the
  217. Effects of the Corn Laws, and of a Rise or Fall in the Price of Corn
  218. on the Agriculture and General Wealth of the Country</a> (1814) from Project
  219. Gutenberg<br>
  220. <br>
  221. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4335">The Grounds of an
  222. Opinion on the Policy of Restricting the Importation of Foreign Corn</a>:
  223. intended as an appendix to &quot;Observations on the corn laws&quot; from Project
  224. Gutenberg<br>
  225. <br>
  226. <br>
  227. <b>19th Century works concerning Malthus:</b></font></p>
  228. <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
  229. <a href="http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=ABQ7578-0015-17">
  230. Godwin on Malthus</a>. <i>The North American review</i>. Volume 15,
  231. Issue 37.&nbsp; Cedar Falls, Iowa:&nbsp; University of Northern
  232. Iowa.&nbsp; October 1822, pp. 289-319. from Cornell University
  233. Library.<br>
  234. <br>
  235. <a href="http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=ABQ0722-0042-106">
  236. The Method of Political Economy, by D. McG. Means</a>.&nbsp; <i>New
  237. Englander and Yale review</i>.&nbsp; Volume 42, Issue 177.&nbsp; New
  238. Haven:&nbsp; W. L. Kingsley, pp. 801-820.&nbsp; from Cornell
  239. University Library.<br>
  240. <br>
  241. <a href="http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/economics/say/">
  242. Letters to Malthus on Political Economy and Stagnation of Commerce</a>
  243. HTML by Andy Blunden at McMaster University<br>
  244. <br>
  245. <a href="http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=AGD1642-0017-66">
  246. The Malthusian Theory</a> - Discussed in a Correspondence between
  247. Alex H. Everett and Professor George Tucker, of the University of
  248. Virginia.&nbsp; <i>The United States Democratic review</i>. Volume
  249. 17, Issue 88.&nbsp; October 1845.&nbsp; New York:&nbsp; J.&amp; H.G.
  250. Langley, pp. 297-310<br>
  251. <br>
  252. <a href="http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=AGD1642-0017-81">
  253. The Malthusian Theory</a> - Discussed in a Correspondence between
  254. Alex H. Everett and Professor George Tucker, of the University of
  255. Virginia.&nbsp; <i>The United States Democratic review</i>. Volume
  256. 17, Issue 89.&nbsp; November 1845.&nbsp; New York:&nbsp; J.&amp; H.G.
  257. Langley, pp. 379-392<br>
  258. <br>
  259. Everett, A. H.
  260. <a href="http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=ABQ7578-0017-19">&quot;Everett's
  261. New Ideas on Population&quot;</a>, <i>The North American review</i>.
  262. Volume 17, Issue 41&nbsp; Cedar Falls, Iowa:&nbsp; University of
  263. Northern Iowa, October 1823, pp. 288-310.&nbsp; From Cornell
  264. University Library Collection.&nbsp; A critique of Malthus' ideas on
  265. population by a contemporary.&nbsp; It's worth reading just for the
  266. language.</font></p>
  267. <blockquote>
  268. <p>
  269. <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
  270. size="-1">From 1830 to 1835 Everett edited <i>The North American review</i>.&nbsp;
  271. Everett became a diplomat to China and continued his interest in
  272. population and Malthus' theory.&nbsp; He died in Canton in 1847.</font></p>
  273. </blockquote>
  274. <p>
  275. <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
  276. <a href="http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=AGD1642-0021-125">
  277. &quot;The Condition of China, with Reference to the Malthusian Theory, as
  278. Discussed in Correspondence between Alex H. Everett and Prof. Geo
  279. Tucker, Late of the University of Virginia&quot;</a>,&nbsp; <i>The United
  280. States Democratic review.</i>&nbsp; Volume 21, Issue 113&nbsp; New
  281. York:&nbsp; J.&amp; H.G. Langley, pp. 397-411.<br>
  282. <br>
  283. <a href="http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=AGD1642-0022-4">
  284. &quot;The Condition of China; with Reference to the Malthusian Theory, in
  285. Reply to the Late Hon. A. H. Everett, U. S. Minister to China, by
  286. Prof. George Tucker, Late of the University of Virginia&quot;</a>,<i> The
  287. United States Democratic review.</i>&nbsp; Volume 22, Issue 115&nbsp;
  288. New York:&nbsp; J.&amp; H.G. Langley, pp. 11-18.</font></p>
  289. <p>
  290. <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Review
  291. of &quot;<a href="http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/moa-cgi?notisid=ABQ7578-0001-72">Observations
  292. on the effects of the Corn Laws... by Rev. T. R. Malthus</a>&quot;&nbsp;
  293. <i>The North American review</i>. Volume 1, Issue 2.&nbsp; Cedar
  294. Falls, Iowa: University of Northern Iowa, July 1815, pp. 214-234.&nbsp;
  295. from Cornell University Library.</font></p>
  296. <p>
  297. <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
  298. size="-1"><b>Modern works concerning Malthus:</b><br><br>
  299. <a href="http://www.boisestate.edu/econ/lreynol/web/PDF_HET/CLSCAL.pdf">
  300. CLASSICAL SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS (1776-1871):&nbsp; AN OUTLINE</a>.&nbsp;
  301. by R. Larry Reynolds, Boise State University.&nbsp; An overview of
  302. the major economic theories in .pdf format, right-click to download.
  303. <br>
  304. <br>
  305. <a href="http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/SHE7.htm">Wealth and
  306. Poverty: Malthus And Ricardo</a>.&nbsp; by Andrew Roberts, Middlesex
  307. University<br>
  308. <br>
  309. <a href="http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/28472">
  310. 1798: Darwin and Malthus</a> by Keith Stewart Thomson, in the <i>
  311. American Scientist.&nbsp; </i>Paper showing the influence of Malthus'
  312. theory on Darwin.<br>
  313. <br>
  314. <a href="http://www.economics.unimelb.edu.au/TLdevelopment/econochat/Dixonecon00.html">
  315. The Origin of the Term &quot;Dismal Science&quot; to Describe Economics</a> by
  316. Robert Dixon at The University of Melbourne.&nbsp; Discusses Carlye
  317. and Malthus.<br><br><br>
  318. <br><br>&nbsp;(c) Marilyn Shea, 2006<br>&nbsp;<br>
  319. </font></p>
  320. </blockquote>
  321. </blockquote></td>
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