Question

For most of human history, living standards remained constant at subsistance levels. This phenomenon can be represented by the Malthusian population trap model. With the help of a diagram, explain why this population trap is a stable equilibrium.

Answer 1

Malthusian model suggests that food production increase is arithmetical while increase in population is geometrical. Also when means of subsistance like Food increases population also increases unless checks like populations policies or natural disaster occurs.

Hence population always exceeds than food production and creates excess gap of population also known as population trap model, where decrease in food production cannot decrease population.

The point beyond which any population increase cannot meet increase in food production is the Malthusian trap and hence stable equilibrium because beyond that population growth will outstrip food supply.

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