Any redeemable parts of Malthus?

[ellipsis]

Obviously it's a slippery slope, but do folks here find anything redeemable about Malthus ?

[ellipsis]

I have have a basic understanding of it, I know it was the basis for eugenics in a lot of ways, but his ideas on the natural and unnatural control of populations are intriguing.

[cyu]

Well, in some ways it fueled the environmentalist movement during the dark days when leftists were driven underground by redbaiting. If it weren't for environmentalists during those years, there were very few critiques of capitalism. If other leftists were being shouted down because they were "evil communists" then environmentalists were about the only check on capitalist power (though not a very effective one in my opinion).

But even as some environmentalists were influenced by Malthus in their critique of capitalism, on the other side, some capitalists were influenced by Malthus in their (private) view that some of the poor should simply die since the upper classes have "proven" themselves more worthy to live.

[Jimmie Higgins]

In my view, there's nothing of use in Malthusian population ideas. These ideas are quite influential despite never having been scientifically accurate, but they survive because they are useful ideologically for elites.

[slum]

Adding to the chorus- Malthus is elitist garbage and scientifically inaccurate. Even if his ideas weren't repulsive and baseless an analysis of capitalism makes him wholly irrelevant.

[Prof. Oblivion]

Are you asking if there is any use in Malthus or in Malthusianism?

[ellipsis]

Are you asking if there is any use in Malthus or in Malthusianism?

I assume malthusianism involves artificially controlling the population. So I'm asking about Malthus.