Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration: A Foundational Theory When we try to understand why people migrate, where they go, and who tends to move, the first person who tried to systematize this was E.G. Ravenstein, way back in the late 19th century. He didn’t randomly guess. Ravenstein based his conclusions on empirical studies—meaning actual data—from Britain,…
Economic theories of population are rooted in one core idea: People are rational agents who weigh the costs and benefits of having children, just like they would evaluate any investment or expenditure. Therefore, reproductive decisions are not just emotional or biological, but economic—involving deliberate calculation. These theories belong to the microeconomic framework of decision-making and…
Arsène Dumont’s Theory of Social Capillarity Till now, we studied natural or biological theories—Malthus talked about food, Doubleday about diet, Spencer about life complexity. But Arsène Dumont, a French sociologist, brought a cultural lens to population studies in 1890. In his theory called “Social Capillarity”, he didn’t look at food or biology. Instead, he asked:…
Michael Thomas Sadler’s Density Theory Imagine you’re reading a book not to introduce a new idea, but to challenge a very popular one. This is what Michael Thomas Sadler set out to do. His work, titled “The Laws of Population” (a two-volume publication), was primarily a critique of Malthusian theory. But in the process, he…
The Essence of Marx’s Population Theory Let us begin by understanding the core difference in worldview. Where Malthus saw population growth as a natural biological pressure, Karl Marx viewed it as a result of unjust social structures, especially under capitalism. According to Marx, population is not the problem—capitalism is. 🧠 Core Idea: Marx’s population theory…
Imagine a small village where families grow their own food. One year, four families live there and grow enough wheat to feed themselves. Now, imagine the number of families keeps doubling every few years, but the land to grow wheat increases only slowly, or even stays the same. Sooner or later, there’ll be more mouths…
The Quest to Understand Fertility Let us begin with a fundamental question — Why do people have children? And why do some societies have more children than others? This question has fascinated scholars for centuries. Over time, many thinkers have tried to answer it, giving rise to various theories of fertility. These attempts to explain…
Summary Chart # Agricultural System Key Features Main Crops/Livestock Key Locations 1 Nomadic Herding Primitive, subsistence; seasonal migration (transhumance) Cattle, sheep, goats, camels, yak, reindeer Sahara, Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, Tibet, Andes, Arctic 2 Livestock Ranching Commercial, extensive, fenced parcels, scientific breeding Cattle, sheep, goats, horses (for meat, wool, hides) USA, Argentina, Uruguay, Australia, New…
This is a modern, high-value, urban-oriented agricultural system where the focus is not on staple grains but on quality and perishability—vegetables, fruits, flowers, and in some cases, poultry. 🥕 What Is It? At its core, specialized horticulture is about: These are crops where: 📦 Types Within Specialized Horticulture ✅ Market Gardening Think of it like…
Commercial dairy farming refers to the specialised and scientific rearing of milch animals (animals that produce milk), with the primary objective of producing milk and milk products for sale. Unlike subsistence livestock rearing, this system is market-oriented, technologically advanced, and runs 365 days a year, without any offseason. 🏭 Key Characteristics ✅ Highly Capital-Intensive ✅…
