...John Pullen A well-known and fundamental element in the population theory of Thomas Robert Malthus is the concept of prudential or moral restraint. A less well-known but just as fundamental element is the “desire of bettering our condition,” also described by Malthus as the “ vis medicatrix...

... restraint. ” Indeed, the modern analytical commentaries of Stigler and Schumpeter insist that this is what Malthus means by “moral re- ~traintHowever, Malthus is at least as emphatic in asserting that this is not all he means by the term: 8. Godwin 1971, p. 304. Also in reply...

... for moral restraint strictly defined.3 These matters are dealt with in Sections V and VI. The former touches on Malthus’s allowance in 1798 for a psychological supply price of labour, his preference on moral grounds for prudence (though implying vice) over poverty, and his rather high hopes...

... exerted a continuous downward pressure on wages and, as we shall see, he agreed with Malthus that in the existing structure of society, the lower orders lacked the moral restraint which could improve their position. Lloyd was certainly not reluctant to relate his discussion of wages...

... of thought on this issue, it would be as follows: Moral restraint was the only acceptable alternative to the twin evils of the preventive check (vice) and the positive check (misery). Any system which encouraged greater moral restraint would produce more virtuous happiness, and hence, on utilitarian...

... to Godwin, had made the point that where the parents bore the costs of procreation it would be rational to defer marriage (see Waterman1991 on“moral restraint 706 History of Political Economy 33:4 (2001) mode of employment present itself by which he may reasonably hope to maintain a family...

... a monograph was published showing a very high rate of infant mortality, particularly affecting babies put out to wet nurses. The economists had been urging the working class to practice ‘moral restraint’ and to seek salvation by imitating the behavior patterns of the middle class. However...

... of this theory.15 Indeed, to the same end, he was obliged to add the similar ad hoc hypothesis that even moral restraint would only partially alleviate the pressures of the principle of population. l6 14. This is a close adaption of J. L. Mackie’s elegant analysis of the problem: ‘Evil...

... Cormac 0 Grada Malthus’s well-known concessions to “moral restraint” in the second edition of the Essay on Population are usually put down to the stimulus of William Godwin and to the Scandinavian trip of 1799 (e.g., Petersen 1979,48-50). The possible influence on his thinking of William...

... are stationary through the power of moral restraints. Chalmers qualified his criticism to some extent, how- ever, by commenting that as great and enlightening as Smith’s work was, it came before Malthus’s clear and convincing expositions on pop- ulation (319). Chalmers’s response to Smith’s...

... and limit the operation of moral restraint (Principles, 1849). Thus, despite his assertion that it was “the pressure of actual, not the fear of future want” that provided “the great incentive to the industryof the poor” (see Principles, 1849; Wealth of Nations, 1849), McCulloch was acutelyaware...

..., that led him to introduce the matter of “moral restraint,” though (as will be recalled from chapter 18:V) he believed it to be empirically irrelevant. A theological dimension thus certainly remains in 1803 and thereafter-the mere fact that the two con- cluding chapters of 1798 disappear...

...; and in 1866 there was a public outcry when a monograph was published showing a very high rate of infant mortality, particularly affecting babies put out to wet nurses. The economists had been urging the working class to practice ‘moral restraint’ and to seek salvation by imitating the behavior...

... connexions that are but too common among a people bound by no moral restraint ; no sooner is this discovered by the priest than he obliges the parties to marry” (Miers 1826 , 2:223; emphasis added). Many British travel writers in this period dutifully noted facts about the population of a given region...

... “moral restraint,” the equilibrium real wage rises, and some part of the surplus is transferred from property owners to their employees. Marx was astute enough to see that this undermined his entire system in advance, and made “a conscious political choice” to ignore Malthus’s arguments and rely...

... by the “supply” side of Malthus’s economics concerns the impli- cations of adding “moral restraint” to the population checks in the sec- ond Essay. For as George Stigler (1952, 191) put it: “Malthus capitu- lated, while still claiming victory. . . . Given the efficacy of moral restraint, Godwin had...

... had the opposite effect. Laing, for instance, had argued this case, pointing out that the peasant postponed marriage until he could be sure of supporting a family-an action “entirely comformable to the moral restraint inculcated by Malthus and Dr. Chalmers.”18 The failure of the Irish...

... the establishment of the Church of Scotland against the attacks of radical reformers by meeting them with a strictly economic argument. Part of that argument showed that “moral restraint” (inculcated by the Church) transferred income to the workers, thereby both saving on poor relief and reducing the costs...

... of constitutional tax restraints. I11 Unquestionably, Gladstone was attempting (with extraordinary energy) to limit the role of government on a permanent basis with.his fiscal efforts. But his overall budget strategy, which reflected a blend of his own moral principles...

... he has stated would marry, but an increase of sustenance must follow an increase of 26. Malthus’s population principle was summarized in the second lecture as follows: “There are two causes which check the disproportion of their progress. The one moral restraint, as abstinence from...