FIGURE 8.1: OPTIMUM POPULATION THEORY
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EVALUATION OF OPTIMUM POPULATION THEORY
Myrdal and Gottlieb criticize this theory on various grounds. While Myrdal has expressed that the optimum theory is associated with neo-Malthusianism and demand for a smaller population on policy grounds, Gottlieb (1945) stressed that it is impossible to compute an optimum number that maximizes social welfare. The optimum population size depends on a variety of factors such as resources, the level of technology, the structure of economy, the model of ownership, and the international situation and, therefore, it changes as time passes. Moreover, the optimum population size would depend on the criterion used for maximization of welfare.
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