The correct answer is: B. There is a direct relationship between standard of living and population.
Thomas Malthus was an English economist and demographer who is best known for his theory of population. Malthus argued that population tends to grow faster than the means of subsistence, and that this would lead to poverty and starvation. He proposed that the only way to prevent this was to control population growth through moral restraint, such as delayed marriage and celibacy.
Malthus’s theory has been criticized on a number of grounds. One criticism is that it is based on a number of assumptions that are no longer valid, such as the assumption that there is a fixed amount of land available for agriculture. Another criticism is that it ignores the role of technological progress in increasing the means of subsistence.
Despite these criticisms, Malthus’s theory remains influential. It has been used to justify a number of policies, such as population control and immigration restrictions. It has also been used to explain the persistence of poverty in many parts of the world.
Here is a brief explanation of each option:
A. Population shows a tendency to grow faster than the means of subsistence. This is one of the central tenets of Malthus’s theory. He argued that population growth is exponential, while the means of subsistence grows at a much slower rate. This would lead to a situation where there is not enough food to go around, and people would be forced to live in poverty.
B. There is a direct relationship between standard of living and population. This is not an accurate statement of Malthus’s theory. Malthus did not believe that there is a direct relationship between population and standard of living. He argued that population growth can be controlled through moral restraint, such as delayed marriage and celibacy.
C. Increasing populations can be stopped only by natural barriers. This is another central tenet of Malthus’s theory. He argued that the only way to stop population growth is through natural barriers, such as famine, disease, and war.
D. Natural restrictions are those restrictions which are imposed by nature to stop population growth. This is a correct statement of Malthus’s theory. He argued that natural restrictions, such as famine, disease, and war, are the only way to stop population growth.