ABSTRACT
Scholars have formulated generalisations about size, growth and characteristics of population from time to time. Theories/generalisations directly pertaining to fertility and migration – the two components of population change were discussed in respective chapters. This chapter discusses theories that account for wider social, economic and political determinants of population change. They include the ideas of ancient Chinese, Greek and Roman thinkers; pre-Malthusian ideas (e.g. mercantilism and physiocratic school of thought on population, classical and neoclassical economic thought); Malthusian and neo-Malthusian ideas; Marxist and Socialist views on population; concept of optimum population; logistic law of population growth; Darwinian tradition; and demographic transition model.
