Books

Rare first edition of one of the most important and influential works in the history of economic thought. In this copy Q8 (pp. 239-40) is in its second state, with line 9 reading "the mortality of man on earth seems to be as completely established", as opposed to the earlier state with the error "immortality". "The central idea of the essay - and hub of the Malthusian theory - was a simple one... If the natural increase in population occurs the food supply becomes insufficient and the size of the population is checked by 'misery' - that is the poorest sections of the community suffer disease and famine. Malthus recognises two other possible checks to population expansion: first 'vice' - that is, homosexuality, prostitution, and abortion (all totally unacceptable to Malthus); and second 'moral restraint' - the voluntary limitation of the product of children by the postponement of marriage" (PMM). "For today's readers, living in a post-Malthus era, the world's population problems are well known and serious, but no longer sensational. It is difficult therefore to appreciate the radical and controversial impact made by the Essay at the time of publication. It challenged the conventional notion that population growth is an unmixed blessing. It discussed prostitution, contraception, and other sexual matters. And it gave vivid descriptions of the horrendous consequences of overpopulation and of the brutal means by which populations are checked" (ODNB). Despite its unpopularity with liberal critics, Malthus's principle of population became accepted as a central tenet of classical political economy and Charles Darwin acknowledged Malthus's influence in the development of his theory of natural selection. Provenance: from the library of Alexander Trotter (1755-1842), secretary to Viscount Melville, first Lord of the Admiralty and paymaster of the Royal Navy, with his engraved armorial bookplate on the front pastedown. READ MORE Octavo (215 x 132 mm). Contemporary calf, rebacked, spine ruled in gilt, red morocco label, sides with single gilt rule border. Housed in a custom brown cloth box. Printed on blue tinted paper. Boards with slight surface wear, corners worn, inner hinges cracked but sound, title and a few following leaves lightly spotted, occasional light spotting elsewhere and a small marginal stain: overall, a very good copy. Carpenter XXXII (1); Einaudi 3667; Garrison-Morton 1693; Goldsmiths' 17268; Kress B.3693; McCulloch, pp. 259-60; Norman 1431; Printing and the Mind of Man 251.

The book addresses the relationship between population growth and food supply. Malthus argued that population tends to grow exponentially, while food production increases only arithmetically, meaning that population growth would eventually outpace the ability to produce enough food. He suggested that without checks, such as famine, disease, or war, overpopulation would lead to widespread poverty and suffering. Malthus identified two types of checks on population growth: "positive checks," which raise the death rate (such as famine and disease), and "preventive checks," which reduce the birth rate (such as moral restraint, later marriage, or celibacy). He believed that without preventive measures, human misery was inevitable. Malthus’s work had a lasting influence on economic and demographic theories, and his ideas about population pressure also influenced Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Although some of his predictions were mitigated by technological advances in agriculture, his work remains important in discussions of overpopulation and resource sustainability.