Thomas Malthus

“It is an acknowledged truth in philosophy that a just theory will always be confirmed by experiment.”

“The superior power of population cannot be checked without producing misery or vice.”

“The rich, by unfair combinations, contribute frequently to prolong a season of distress among the poor.”

“The friend of the present order of things condemns all political speculations in the gross.”

“A writer may tell me that he thinks man will ultimately become an ostrich. I cannot properly contradict him.”

“A great emigration necessarily implies unhappiness of some kind or other in the country that is deserted.”

“The main peculiarity which distinguishes man from other animals is the means of his support-the power which he possesses of very greatly increasing these means.”

“Population, when unchecked, goes on doubling itself every 25 years or increases in a geometrical ratio.”

“In a state therefore of great equality and virtue, where pure and simple manners prevailed, the increase of the human species would evidently be much greater than any increase that has been...”

“Population, when unchecked, increases in a geometrical ratio.”

“The histories of mankind are histories only of the higher classes.”

“The power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man.”

“The ordeal of virtue is to resist all temptation to evil.”

“No limits whatever are placed to the productions of the earth; they may increase forever.”

“The constant effort towards population, which is found even in the most vicious societies, increases the number of people before the means of subsistence are increased.”