Thomas Robert Malthus (1766-1834) was an English cleric whose ideas, as expounded in his most famous work the Essay on the Principle of population, caused a storm of controversy. Donald Winch clears up much of the confusion surrounding Malthus's ideas, and assesses the profound influence he has had on modern economic thought. Concentrating on what Malthus actually wrote, the book sheds light on why his work has remained controversial, but also why it has been so influential in the thought of later figures as disparate as Darwin and Keynes. Readership: first year students of economic and social studies.