The optimum theory of population is an important theory of population stated by modern economists like edwin cannan, dalton and others. By optimum population is meant the ideal number of the population that a country should have considering its resources. Optimum theory is optimistic and malthus was pessimist. A variety of measures of birth control had come into use in the 19th century, opening the prospect of permanent escape from the trap of subsistence consumption. Optimum population, the malthusian population theory and. Putting mere preference aside, though, there are some things that ought to be more generally. In other words, optimum population stands in between the two other extremes of over population. The optimum theory of population economics your article library. Nov 22, 2015 optimum population optimum population is concern with population resource relationship, it is conceder about the population geography. A country is said to have an optimum population when the number of people is in balance with the available.
Rouf, bilah and rahman, 2007 history of optimum population theory the optimum theory of population was propounded by edwin cannan in his book wealth published in 1924 and popularized by robbins, dalton and carrsaunders. It discusses the rate of growth of population and the effects of such. The optimum theory is a dynamic one because over a period of time the per capita income may rise with the expansion in output due to improvements in knowledge, skill, capital, equipment and other elements in production. Theoretically, there is for any given state of the arts and any given supply of available natural resources, together with a given supply of capital instruments and a given social organization, a certain size of population which can operate these resources to the best advantage and produce the largest per. The optimum theory of population appeared as a reaction to the malthusian theory. In ancient greece, the earliest thinkers favoured the expansion of population, but plato was a restrictionist who advocated as absolute limit of population. The optimum theory of population was propounded by edwin cannan in his book wealth published in 1924 and popularised by robbins, dalton and carrsaunders. Optimum population theory apple b ugc net jrf academy.
The optimum thesis is superior to malthusian theory on the following grounds. Instead they have proposed the idea of optimum theory of population. The integrating theory can well be the revised and expanded concept of optimum population. The optimum population is a concept where the human population is able to balance. Modern economists have rejected the malthusian theory of maximum population, which, if exceeded, will spell misery in the country. Jun 15, 2019 in this video, i have tried to explain optimum theory of population hope you guys like it. The word optimum means the best and the most desirable size of a countrys population. Limitations of optimum theory includes the optimum theory is based on economic consideration only. It is only an attempt to find the relationship between population and wealth production. The optimum theory of population was propounded by edwin cannan in his book wealth published in 1924 and popularised by robbins, dalton and carr. Hence, we could say that the optimum population theory is the direct result of a sharp reaction to the malthusian theory of population. The difficulty with the existence minimum can be overcome to a. The malthusian theory is a theory of population growth. Instead of the maximum population the modern economists have substituted the idea of optimum population.
Edwin cannan 18611935, who was a british economist, has been credited for having introduced the term and framing the theory. Feb 15, 2020 theory of optimum population macroeconomics b com notes edurev is made by best teachers of b com. Optimum populationin casual discourse it seems obvious that a population of some geographically delimited entitya village, a city, a country, the worldcan be too small or too large. Optimum population optimum population is concern with population resource relationship, it is conceder about the population geography. Despite these criticisms, the malthusian theory of population growth has forever made an impact on the world. Malthus had a narrow vision of merely relating to food supply. Stanford university news service 650 7232558 optimum human population a third of present, scientists say. The focus in this chapter is on applying, rather than evaluating, particular theories of population axiology. If you want to go to the symphony, you need to live in or near a city big enough to support a symphony orchestra. The mid point between over population and under population as is shown in the following diagram. When a countrys population is neither too big nor too small, but just that much which the country. Modern economists such as sidgwick, cannon, dalton and robbins have propagated this theory. Optimum theory of population optimum theory of population implies the ideal size of the population which a country try should possess on the basis of its resources and technology.
The fist weakness of the optimum theory is that it is difficult to whether there is anything like an optimum population. Instead of the maximum population, the modern economists have substituted the idea of the optimum population. Jul 16, 2012 the optimum population trust goes further with proposals that government encourage couples to stop at two children and the introduction of a onein oneout policy on immigration. It is the statistics of the population that is subjected to change in accordance with aging, birth, death, migration etc.
In this video, i have tried to explain optimum theory of population hope you guys like it. Nov 12, 2009 malthusian theory it is general theory of population. When the population of country is neither too large nor too small, it is called optimum population. Given these assumptions, the optimum population is that ideal size of population which provides the maximum income per head.
Demography the general science of studying human population. Population theory and the concept of optimum population 211 is this enough. Optimum theory of population acceptance and criticism. Optimum population wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Important as the distribution of income is, it simply. The optimum means the best and the most desirable size of a countrys population. Theory of optimum population macroeconomics b com notes.
The modern theory of optimum population brings out the relationship between changes in population and the consequent changes in per capita income. In the introductory statement of this paper we asserted that the urgent need in develop ing population theory is the need for integration. Many of the ancient philosophers like confucius china, kautilya india, ibn khaldin arab, plato greece and modem thinkers like adam smith, david richard and. The concept of an optimum, or ideal, size of population concerns both theory and policy. Theoretically, there is for any given state of the arts and any given. Dec 16, 20 optimum population is the population which allows equal distribution of goods and services among the people of a region or country by considering environmental and social values. Thus optimum population is the size of population at which per capita income is the highest, at any given time. The video may be a bit long but i have tried to explain the theory in one go. Thomas robert malthus, an english cleric, and scholar, published this theory in his 1798 writings, an essay on the principle of population. A lot of it comes down to personal preference, of course. Economic theory of optimal population pp 116 cite as. Demographic transition theory and optimum population. Ol size of population is an optimum size population.
Modern economists have supported the view of this theory and severely criticized malthuss theory of population the various grounds. He was the first who gave the concept of optimum population level. There is no wonder that some countries are encouraging population increase basically due to political reason. Demographic transition theory and optimum population by pranjal prateek avionics, sc12b104, roll31 2. People can be too few to sustain a productive economy or creative culture. There is no evidence about the optimum population level in any country. The optimum theory of population was propounded by edwin cannan in his book wealth published in 1924 and popularized by robbins, dalton and carrsaunders. Nov 27, 2016 about a hundred years later cannan 1888, wicksell 1910 and others were writing of an optimum population, where by implication choice of family size enabled choice of living standards. If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Optimum population definition at, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. The theory of optimum population pher skirting the coast of ethics, sentiment, and value judgments, but it is difficult to see how they can throw much light on the problem of the best size of population. The malthusian theory is a general study of the population problem of all countries and optimum theory is superior since along with population problem, it studies economic conditions. In this diagram population is measured along ox and output along oy. The modern economists have rejected the malthusian theory of population on several grounds.
An optimum population ensures or secures a maximum return per head. Unlike the malthusian theory, the optimum theory does not establish relationship between population growth and food supply. Notes on population theory grade 12 economics factors. Optimum human population a third of present, scientists say. The relationship between population and resources forms the basis of the optimum population, theory. Jul 19, 2017 hello, here is my attempt to help you understand the optimum population theory. Hello, here is my attempt to help you understand the optimum population theory. The optimum theory does not deal with the laws of population growth or foodsupply. The optimum size of population is which along with the existing natural resources and a given state of technology, yields the highest income per capita in a country.
It was worked out mainly by edwin cannon and carrsaunders of the london school of economics. Optimum population definition of optimum population at. Optimum population is a dynamic population that changes with the changing quantity and quality of a countrys available resources. Stanford university news service 650 7232558 optimum human population a third of present, scientists say stanford until cultures change radically, the optimum. Malthusian theory of population intelligent economist. The optimum theory of population 22 3 relationship between per capita income and the desire to raise children, this shifts from time to time and from place to place, and it cannot be imagined to be at some constant level under the ceteris paribus clause. The malthusian theory of population is a theory of exponential population growth and arithmetic food supply growth. About a hundred years later cannan 1888, wicksell 1910 and others were writing of an optimum population, where by implication choice of family size enabled choice of living standards. Karl winkelblech 18101865german professor is firstly introduced the concept of population theory. Optimum population, the malthusian population theory and the. Edwin cannan 1861 1935, an english economist, has been given the credit for defining what later came to be known as the concept of optimum population. The two population theories, malthusian theory and the optimum theory are diametrically opposite to each other. They have shown a few differences between malthusian theory and optimum theory of population.
The main points of difference between them are summarised below. It is the statistics of the population that is subjected to change in. Malthusian theory of population claims that if population of a country keeps on increasing, it is going to be detrimental to the society. An optimum population is the population that produces full employment. Some major criticism of optimum theory of population are as follow. Jan 14, 2020 the malthusian theory of population is a theory of exponential population growth and arithmetic food supply growth. The founders of the theory state it as given the natural resources, stock of capital and the state of technical knowledge, there will be a definite size of population. The annals of the american academy of political and social science 2016 188. Aims to check the natural growth of population is wrong. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click. Adumerations to the idea that there must theoretically be some most desirable or optimum size of pop. Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples log in dictionary. The optimum theory of population became fashionable in the 1930s.
The optimum population of earth enough to guarantee the minimal physical ingredients of a decent life to everyone was 1. Instead they have proposed the idea of optimum theory of population for many reasons. Let us make a comparison between optimum theory and malthusian theory of population. Jul 07, 2017 optimum theory of population is the modern theory of population.
However, optimum population theory denies this argument. We may try to find out in the first instance how optimum theory is an improvement on the malthusian theory. The concept of optimum population arose from the fundamental relationship between population and resources. Optimum population is neither too small or too large. Sep 25, 2019 the concept of an optimum, or ideal, size of population concerns both theory and policy. Criticizing the approach of the malthusian theory of population, modern economists edwin cannan and carr saunders of london school of economics have developed a new theory known as optimum theory of population. Malthus theory, marxs theory and theory of demographic transition. Account management optimum theory of population modern economists have rejected the malthusian theory of maximum population, which if exceeded will spell misery in the country.
1563 1043 61 509 260 879 828 1417 876 1445 1215 1369 355 851 527 1231 214 892 1206 589 87 1002 203 1485 1428 373 1205 577 591 383 946 573 1296 340 55 778 1039 1264 895