Malthusianisme

1803 · 182484 — London: Printed by W. Stratford for R. Bickerstaff 1803 1804. Reclaiming an optimistic future for humanity First edition of the first work devoted to criticism of Malthus's Essay. The anonymous Remarks provides a good-humoured critique of Malthus's analysis as overly pessimistic and lacking in logical rigour - a point familiar to many subsequent generations of Malthusian scholars. Malthus published the Essay in 1798 before bringing out the second considerably expanded edition in 1803. There he added extensive accounts of living conditions in other nations to support his argument that overpopulation led to extreme human misery. The Remarks critiques as myopic these efforts to link overpopulation with human suffering pointing out that many other factors were at play. It further contends that much human misery can in fact be remedied by a greater faith in public institutions and private virtue than Malthus is prepared to allow. Octavo 202 x 128 mm pp. iv 62 2 publisher advertisements. Recent quarter calf spine lettered in gilt marbled paper sides edges sprinkled blue. Light rubbing minor foxing and offsetting to contents closed tear to advertisement leaf: a very good copy. Goldsmiths' 18641; Sraffa 4873. unknown