Question

Contrast Mill and Malthus.

Answer 1

The major topic around which the studies and theories of Mills and Malthus is centered is around productive and unproductive labor in contributing towards the wealth creation in a capitalist economy.Malthus put forward the idea that it is what a labor produces that makes the labor productive rather than just producing wealth.In short Malthus proposed that the worker cannot be said to be productive unless he adds to society more than what was paid for their service.Like Malthus Mills regarded all the labors engaged in production activity only as productive.Also unlike Malthus Mills was ignorant of the importance of unproductive labor in a capitalist economy unproductive labor included people participating in private services such as entrepreneurs,landowners,businessmen,,ministers,musicians,teachers etc. Therefore according to Malthus even mothers who did nothing but sit in their home and look after their children was also important to the economy.Another major area of contrast was regarding production with response to labor.Mills saw unproductive labor having an undesirable influence over wealth creation and growth of the society.He believed that such a U/P consumption would end up impoverishing the nation.

Malthus on the other hand regarded unproductive consumption factor very much necessary in a capitalist economy when technology and productivity are at their utmost level.