Question

12. Consider the Malthusian model. Suppose that the economy is in steady state when suddenly there is change in cultural attitudes toward parenthood. For a given income, people now want to have more children than they formerly had. Draw a graph showing the growth rate of population over time

Answer 1

When suddenly there is change in cultural attitudes toward parenthood. For a given income, people now want to have more children than they formerly had then the curve relating the population growth rate and income per capita shifts upward. The sudden shift implies that population growth will suddenly be positive in the graph the birth rate shifts upwards. As the population size grows and as income per capita falls, the growth rate of population will fall therefore population increases at first but as the population increases with respect to income then eventually per capita income falls and then slowly the population growth stops with a fall income.