CHAPTER X 
NEW MALTHUSIANISM AND MAN’S FUTURE 
From what has preceded it is obvious that the rate of 
population-increase witnessed on earth during the last 
century and a quarter cannot continue under any 
circumstances whatsoever: it must diminish. What 
will bring this about? Will human intelligence co- 
operate, or will Man be the victim of disaster, and 
what kind of disaster? These are questions which 
remind us that, in any consideration of the World’s 
Future, we must give attention to #/ relevant matters. 
Although Malthus’s work on Population appeared as 
far back as 1798, his propositions on population have 
continually, and even quite recently, been wholly mis- 
understood and utterly misrepresented. The essence 
of the whole matter was that, from its intrinsic nature, 
the power of increase led to multiplication in a geo- 
metrical ratio, except in so far as it was hindered by 
things inimical to Man. The food-supply could not 
keep pace with this geometrical increase. Food tends, 
it was said, to increase only in arithmetical progression. 
The latter is not quite correct; actually it may increase 
at a greater rate, or increase not even at that rate. 
From what has preceded it is not necessary to labour 
this matter, for it is already evident that very soon— 
speaking in even the historical sense—Man will be in 
difficulties. 
Many ingenious views have been put forward as to 
the nature of the progress of populations: some refer- 
ence has already been made to these in Chapter V. 
The matter need not be further elaborated. It will 
108