Given below are some statements. Read them carefully and choose the correct statement (s) from the given options.

Statement 1:  Malthus believed that humanity is condemned to live in poverty forever because the growth of agricultural production will always be overtaken by population growth. 

Statement 2: He believed that population growth always outstrips growth in production of subsistence resources. 

Statement 3: According to Mathus, the only way to increase prosperity is by controlling the growth of population.

Statement 4: Malthus believed that ‘preventive checks’ to population growth were inevitable .

1, 2 and 3 are correct.

The correct answer is Option 2: 1, 2 and 3 are correct.

Statement 1: Malthus believed that humanity is condemned to live in poverty forever because the growth of agricultural production will always be overtaken by population growth. Correct. Malthus maintained that population growth would eventually exceed food production, creating a tendency toward poverty and hardship.

Statement 2: He believed that population growth always outstrips growth in production of subsistence resources. Correct. This is the central proposition of Malthus's theory. Population increases more rapidly than the food supply.

Statement 3: According to Malthus, the only way to increase prosperity is by controlling the growth of population. Correct. Malthus believed that limiting population growth was necessary to prevent the pressure of population on available resources.

Statement 4: Malthus believed that ‘preventive checks’ to population growth were inevitable. Incorrect. Malthus distinguished between preventive checks (such as delayed marriage and moral restraint) and positive checks (such as famine, disease, and war). He regarded positive checks as inevitable if population growth was not voluntarily controlled. Preventive checks were not inevitable; rather, they were measures people could choose to adopt.