Choose the correct answerand discuss:
Malthus argued that the poor would always remain poor because:
a.population growth tends to outrun growth of food production
b.they do not save enough
c.there are not enough resources to educate them
d.all of the above
The correct answer is a) population growth tends to outrun growth of food production.
Malthus' argument was rooted in the idea that population tends to grow exponentially, while food production increases at a slower rate. He believed that this imbalance would lead to food scarcity and ultimately result in the poor remaining poor. Malthus saw poverty as a consequence of overpopulation and the inability to adequately sustain the growing number of people.
Although options b) and c) may also hold some truth, they are not the central argument put forward by Malthus. Lack of savings or insufficient education can certainly contribute to poverty, but his main concern was the long term discrepancy between population growth and food production. Therefore, option d) is not the correct answer.