An Essay on the Principle of Population

An Essay on the Principle of Population
Thomas Malthus
1798

AN ESSAY ON THE PRINCIPLE OF POPULATION, AS IT
AFFECTS THE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIETY WITH
REMARKS ON THE SPECULATIONS OF MR. GODWIN, M.
CONDORCET, AND OTHER WRITERS.
LONDON, PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, IN ST. PAUL'S
CHURCH-YARD, 1798.

Preface
The following Essay owes its origin to a conversation with a friend, on
the subject of Mr Godwin's essay on avarice and profusion, in his
Enquirer. The discussion started the general question of the future
improvement of society, and the Author at first sat down with an
intention of merely stating his thoughts to his friend, upon paper, in a
clearer manner than he thought he could do in conversation. But as the
subject opened upon him, some ideas occurred, which he did not
recollect to have met with before; and as he conceived that every least
light, on a topic so generally interesting, might be received with
candour, he determined to put his thoughts in a form for publication.
The Essay might, undoubtedly, have been rendered much more
complete by a collection of a greater number of facts in elucidation of
the general argument. But a long and almost total interruption from
very particular business, joined to a desire (perhaps imprudent) of not
delaying the publication much beyond the time that he originally

proposed, prevented the Author from giving to the subject an undivided
attention. He presumes, however, that the facts which he has adduced
will be found to form no inconsiderable evidence for the truth of his
opinion respecting the future improvement of mankind. As the Author
contemplates this opinion at present, little more appears to him to be
necessary than a plain statement, in addition to the most cursory view
of society, to establish it.
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 obstacle in
the way to any very great future improvement of society. He hopes it
will appear that, in the discussion of this interesting subject, he is
actuated solely by a love of truth, and not by any prejudices against any
particular set of men, or of opinions. He professes to have read some of
the speculations on the future improvement of society in a temper very
different from a wish to find them visionary, but he has not acquired
that command over his understanding which would enable him to
believe what he wishes, without evidence, or to refuse his assent to
what might be unpleasing, when accompanied with evidence.
The view which he has given of human life has a melancholy hue, but
he feels conscious that he has drawn these dark tints from a conviction
that they are really in the picture, and not from a jaundiced eye or an
inherent spleen of disposition. The theory of mind which he has
sketched in the two last chapters accounts to his own understanding in a
satisfactory manner for the existence of most of the evils of life, but
whether it will have the same effect upon others must be left to the
judgement of his readers.
If he should succeed in drawing the attention of more able men to what
he conceives to be the principal difficulty in the way to the
improvement of society and should, in consequence, see this difficulty
removed, even in theory, he will gladly retract his present opinions and
rejoice in a conviction of his error.

7 June 1798
CHAPTER 1
Question stated--Little prospect of a determination of it, from the
enmity of the opposing parties--The principal argument against the
perfectibility of man and of society has never been fairly
answered--Nature of the difficulty arising from population--Outline of
the principal argument of the Essay
The great and unlooked for discoveries that have taken place of late
years in natural philosophy, the increasing diffusion of general
knowledge from the extension of the art of printing, the ardent and
unshackled spirit of inquiry that prevails throughout the lettered and
even unlettered world, the new and extraordinary lights that have been
thrown on political subjects which dazzle and astonish the
understanding, and particularly that tremendous phenomenon in the
political horizon, the French Revolution, which, like a blazing comet,
seems destined either to inspire with fresh life and vigour, or to scorch
up and destroy the shrinking inhabitants of the earth, have all concurred
to lead many able men into the opinion that we were touching on a
period big with the most important changes, changes that would