Correct answer: (b) Population
Explanation
- A
Economy
Option (a) claims the Malthusian theory relates to economy broadly. However, while population dynamics profoundly affect economic output, Malthus specifically focused on demographic growth versus food supply.
- B
Population
Option (b) claims the Malthusian Theory is related to population, which is correct. Thomas Robert Malthus propounded in his 1798 Essay on the Principle of Population that human population increases geometrically while food production increases arithmetically, making this the key option.
- C
Unemployment
Option (c) claims the theory is about unemployment. Although labor markets involve population counts, Malthus's primary thesis addressed the imbalance between absolute population size and subsistence means.
- D
Poverty
Option (d) claims the theory concerns poverty. While overpopulation can lead to impoverished living conditions, Malthus formulated his core thesis directly around demographic growth rates and food production limits.
Summary. Official key is (b) because T. Malthus famously propounded the Malthusian Theory of population growth in 1798. The theory highlights the imbalance between geometric population increase and arithmetic food production growth. While population pressures indirectly touch upon economy, unemployment, and poverty, the core doctrine strictly models demographic expansion. Therefore, options (a), (c), and (d) miss the precise primary domain of his demographic thesis.