Malthusian Theory and Geography
Isabella Hernandez
7 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers Malthusian and Cornucopian population theories. It explains Malthus's core ideas about population growth outpacing food production, and why his predictions were largely incorrect. It then discusses Neo-Malthusian views on resource depletion and population control. The guide also explores the Cornucopian perspective of population growth driving innovation. Finally, it connects these theories to the Demographic Transition Model, sustainability, and contemporary issues.
#AP Human Geography: Population Theories - Your Last-Minute Guide 🚀
Hey there, future geographer! Let's make sure you're totally prepped for the exam with a super-focused review of population theories. We’ll break down Malthusian and Cornucopian theories, and how they’ve shaped our world. Let's dive in!
#Malthusian Theory: The OG Population Alarmist 🚨
#Who Was Malthus?
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Thomas Malthus (1766-1834): British economist and demographer. Basically, he was the guy who got everyone worried about overpopulation during the Industrial Revolution.
Demographer: Someone who studies population characteristics.
#Malthus's Core Idea
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Geometric vs. Arithmetic Growth: Malthus argued that population grows geometrically (2, 4, 8, 16…), while food production increases arithmetically (1, 2, 3, 4…). This mismatch, he said, would lead to disaster.
Think of it like this: Population is a snowball rolling downhill (getting bigger faster), while food production is like a slow-growing tree.
* _Caption: Malthus's theory suggests that population growth will eventually outpace food production, leading to crises._
- Consequences: Malthus predicted famine, disease, and social unrest if population growth wasn't checked.
#Why Malthus Was (Mostly) Wrong
- Industrial Revolution: Food production actually increased dramatically thanks to new tech.
- Demographic Transition Model (DTM): Malthus didn't foresee how birth rates would decline in later stages of the DTM.
- Technological Advancements: He couldn't predict innovations in agriculture, like fertilizers and genetic modification.
#The Irish Potato Famine and Malthus
- Historical Context: During the Irish P...
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