The Malthus Factor: Poverty, Politics and Population in Capitalist Development

by Eric B. Ross

This volume represents a major critique of the way Malthusian thinking has influenced capitalist development policy in the modern period, as well as in the past. It highlights the strategic role of Malthusian ideas in the defence of capitalist political economy when confronted by struggles for equality and human progress. The leading historical example the author takes offers a major reassessment of the origins of the Irish Famine. His contemporary case study focuses on the Green Revolution, which the author analyzes in terms of a broad Western strategy of capitalist agricultural development in the face of peasant insurgency.

Finally, the book examines how the political economy of underdevelopment is currently being obscured by alarm over the environmental impact of over-population, and how such Malthusian concerns represent the poor, not as victims of capitalist development, but as perpetrators of environmental destruction.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

272 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 1998

Reviews

[Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book delves deep into enduring legacy of Thomas Malthus, offering a compelling narrative that expertly navigates his theories and their profound impact on social structures, bodily autonomy and social development. The research provides a comprehensive understanding of his crazy ideas on population, resources, and societal progress. this book brilliantly contextualizes Malthus's theories within historical, economic, and environmental frameworks, illustrating their relevance and influence on contemporary debates. The information presented is not only informative but also thought-provoking, meticulously crafted book standing as an incredible resource for anyone seeking a thorough exploration of Thomas Malthus and the living resonance of his ideas.

[Matty Demont · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read with insights on Malthusian thinking and how it influences politics.

[Wendy Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

For class - political ecology seminar