The correct answer is: B. Malthus population theory compared population with the total output of a country
Thomas Malthus was an English economist who is best known for his theory of population. Malthus argued that population grows at an exponential rate, while food production grows at a linear rate. This means that population will eventually outstrip food production, leading to famine and poverty.
Malthus’s theory has been criticized for being too simplistic. It does not take into account factors such as technological progress, which can increase food production. However, Malthus’s theory remains influential, and it is often used to argue against government intervention in the economy.
Here is a brief explanation of each option:
- A. Malthus’s population theory does not directly depend on the law of generation
This is incorrect. Malthus’s theory is based on the idea that population grows at an exponential rate. This is because each couple can have more than two children, who can then have children of their own, and so on. The law of generation is the idea that all living things have the potential to reproduce at an exponential rate. However, Malthus argued that this potential is not always realized, due to factors such as disease, war, and famine.
- B. Malthus population theory compared population with the total output of a country
This is correct. Malthus argued that population growth will eventually outstrip food production, leading to famine and poverty. He compared population to the total output of a country, which he called the “means of subsistence.” He argued that if population grows faster than the means of subsistence, then people will be forced to live in poverty.
- C. According to Malthus there is a direct relationship between standard of living and population
This is incorrect. Malthus argued that there is an inverse relationship between standard of living and population. In other words, as population increases, the standard of living will decrease. This is because population growth will lead to a decrease in the amount of food and other resources available per person.
- D. In the theory of optimum population, the population is compared from the food grains of the country
This is incorrect. The theory of optimum population is the idea that there is an ideal population size for a country. This population size is the one that maximizes the standard of living for the people in the country. The theory of optimum population does not compare population to food grains.