Compare Malthusian theory with Boserup's theory of population and resources.

• A. Malthus argued population grows faster than food supply causing shortages; Boserup argued population growth can spur innovation and intensification increasing food production.
• B. Malthus argued population growth lags behind food supply; Boserup argued population growth declines food production.
• C. Malthus believed tech fixes will always catch up; Boserup believed there will be no change in farming.
• D. Malthus and Boserup agreed completely on food production limits.

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is how population dynamics interact with food resources and how human responses to scarcity differ. Malthusian theory argues that population tends to grow geometrically while food production grows only arithmetically, so shortages and crises are likely unless checks limit population. Boserup’s theory, by contrast, says that as population grows and scarcity tightens, people innovate and intensify farming—developing new techniques, expanding cultivated land, and adopting higher-yield practices to raise food output.

This is why the best description is that Malthus viewed population growth as potentially outstripping food supply, leading to shortages, while Boserup contends that population pressure can spur innovations that increase food production. The other statements misrepresent the theories: the idea that population growth lags behind food supply or that it decreases production contradicts Boserup’s point about innovation in response to demand; claiming tech fixes will always catch up aligns with neither view, and saying there is no change in farming contradicts Boserup’s emphasis on agricultural intensification. They also ignore the fundamental disagreement between the two thinkers about whether human ingenuity can outpace limits.