Malthus: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) was an English cleric whose ideas on population and political economy have had a profound influence on modern economic thought. In this Very Short Introduction, Donald Winch considers the context in which Malthus wrote, examines why his work matters, and why it remains so controversial.

Donald Winch is Emeritus Professor of Intellectual History at the University of Sussex. His publications include Adam Smith's Politics, That Noble Science of Politics (with Stefan Collini and John Burrow), and Riches and Poverty: An Intellectual History of Political Economy in Britain, 1750-1834.