According to economist Thomas Malthus, people should practice sexual abstinence before marriage and postpone marriage as long as possible in order to have only a few children. This would produce what he termed a___________ check on population.

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Malthus believed that practicing sexual abstinence and postponing marriage would lead to fewer children being born, thus preventing the population from growing too quickly. This is the basis of his theory of preventive checks on population growth. Positive checks refer to events that increase mortality rates, such as war or disease, while balanced checks refer to events that maintain a steady population level, such as natural disasters. Doubling checks refer to events that cause the population to double in size, such as increased food production.

According to Economist Thomas Malthus, People Should Practice Sexual Abstinence