Who was Thomas Malthus?

Thomas Malthus was a professor and an early economist best known for his writings on population dynamics, specifically his theory regarding the impact of population growth on resources and society. He proposed that population increases geometrically while food production increases arithmetically. This principle suggests that without checks on population growth, such as disease, famine, or war, populations could grow beyond the capacity of their environmental resources, leading to societal strain. Malthus's work laid foundational ideas for future studies in demography, ecology, and even economics, influencing figures like Charles Darwin in their studies of natural selection and survival. His insights into the relationship between population and resource limits remain relevant in discussions about sustainability and environmental issues today.