MALTHUS 163 



the food supply is an assumption with less basis in fact. 

 Food is produced by the labour of the population. Hands 

 will increase in the same geometrical progression as mouths, 

 and there will be a corresponding increase of the food 

 supply until the resources of the country are taxed to 

 the utmost. After that there will be a comparatively 

 abrupt cessation of the increase of the food supply. 



We may state the case thus : If the potential geometrical 

 rate of increase of the population were actually realised, 

 the food supply would, other things equal, increase in an 

 approximately direct ratio with the increase of population 

 until the natural resources of the country were taxed 

 to the utmost ; the increase in the amount of food 

 would then cease. Other things, of course, are not equal. 

 Organisation, invention, scientific discoveries and foreign 

 commerce would modify the progress of events, and would 

 for a time lead to an increase of the food supply greater 

 than the increase of population. But as the resources 

 of any country are limited, these factors would only 

 postpone the ultimate result, for in an amazingly short 

 time there would not even be standing room. 



Malthus, knowing nothing of the principle outlined 

 in the preceding pages, said to social reformers : The 

 evils which you deplore are necessary for the purpose 

 of keeping down the numbers of the population. If 

 you improve the condition of the' mass of the people, 

 you will cause a fall in the deathrate. The fall in the 

 deathrate will be proportionate to the degree of improve- 

 ment which you effect in the condition of the people. 

 Therefore the closer you approximate to an ideal state 

 of society, the lower will be the deathrate, and conse- 

 quently the more rapid will be the increase of population. 

 The geometrical rate of increase will be realised in exact 

 proportion to your success in improving conditions. As 



