Malthus and the Development of Demographic Analysis

Many techniques of demographic analysis were invented and developed during the eighteenth century. Malthus seems to have been well acquainted with the work of the best contemporary English 'demographers': Richard Price and Joshua Milne. To what extent was Malthus himself a 'pure demographer'? The objective of this article is to determine Malthus's place in the history of demographic analysis and concepts and to evaluate his personal contribution to demographic analysis. Fertility and mortality analysis, as well as the influence of past and contemporary demographers on Malthus's work are examined. It appears that Malthus's best pieces of demographic analysis are owed directly to Joshua Milne's or to Price's influence. It seems highly unlikely that his personal contribution to the development of demographic techniques as such could be considered as of consequence.