The great thought by Thomas Malthus; The Malthusian Theory of Population still becomes an issue in contemporary time (mostly in developing countries) since the benefits and drawbacks yet have to be properly explored to enhance economic development or deter so many social & economic catastrophic.

Malthus brilliantly foresighted 2 centuries ago that population growth at exponential or progressive rate while food production increases at slower or arithmetic rate, and this imbalance, if unchecked, would result in a Malthusian catastrophe, where overpopulation leads to widespread suffering and population decline due to hunger and so many reasons unless preventive and positive checks implements to control population growth.

Though this thought is highly criticized by undermining technological progress or the potential of technological advancement, ignoring social and economic factors and overemphasizing of positive checks by Malthus, and disregarding the preventive checks; like family planning and contraception.

Despite being criticized his theory still relevant as the effect of population growth in some continents brought a great challenge in creating waste in resource management (with limited resources), negative impacts in environmental control, unemployment, hunger, suicide, violence, crime, robbery and so many political & social unrest.

However, countries like China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Taiwan and some other countries able to benefit from population growth as a productive force in economic development.

The United Nations currently identifies 44 countries as Least Developed Countries (LDCs). These countries face significant socio-economic challenges and are often characterized by low income, human assets, and high economic vulnerability. These are:

In Africa:

Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

In Asia:

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Timor-Leste, and Yemen.

In Caribbean:

Haiti.

In Pacific:

Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu.

Most of these countries have a serious challenges in high population growth rate, and unless they able to implement the Malthus great idea of preventive checks, the positive checks will follow as in the form of crisis in social, political and economic situations.

Hence, this article writer thought & stand would be countries, especially that have been categorized in LDCs shall work seriously in positive contributions of population growth (as a productive force in economic development), unless they are able to manage the mechanism of preventive checks. To assure these a great commitment require from politicians, policy makers, higher officials, advanced countries, international lenders (like, WB, IMF, UN, and others) since they have to be sure that their piece of money or coin (either in the form of Aid or Loan) has to bring a meaningful contribution in the country, either in implementing preventive checks of population growth in the countries or by checking their population growth policy, as to what extent their policy be able to bring economic development (in targeting productive forces or mainly unemployed youths), and in reality these are a serious challenges or gaps in those countries, which ultimately drive to great suffering in the societies presently.

Any view or opinion welcome!!