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Malthusian Theory

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Malthusian theory holds that population growth exceeding a region's carrying capacity is checked by war, famine, and disease, or by preventive measures like birth control.

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Malthus reasoned food production grows arithmetically while population grows exponentially, so unchecked growth would eventually outrun food supply.

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Population has continued growing well past Malthus's predicted collapse; the theory is taught as historical framework, not confirmed forecast.