Thomas Malthus

"A man of talent, if he be not a man of conscience, is a curse to society rather than a blessing."

"The institution of marriage is the strongest check on the increase of population that nature has provided."

"It is the business of the statesman to reconcile the natural passions of men with the necessities imposed by the natural world."

"The distribution of property is the great question which determines the character and destiny of a nation."

"A man cannot be happy if he is constantly subject to the fear of want."

"The true measure of the civilization of a people is the character of its poor."

"The cultivation of the mind is as necessary as the cultivation of the soil."

"A man who has nothing to lose is not bound by the laws of society in the same manner as one who has something."

"The passion between the sexes is the most powerful of all human passions, and it is this passion which gives rise to population."

"The question of whether mankind can provide for an increasing population is the great question of the age."

"A man of wisdom knows that progress is not a gift but a burden to be borne."

"The history of the world is the record of the efforts of men to improve their condition by the exercise of their faculties."

"It is not the possession of riches, but the proper use of them, that contributes to human happiness."

"The natural tendency of things is towards disorder and decay unless counteracted by the efforts of man."

"A man who is truly educated knows the limits of his knowledge and the extent of his ignorance."

"The principle of population is the foundation upon which all other economic principles rest."

"The state of the poor is a direct result of the state of the economy and the distribution of property."

"A man's character is formed not by his circumstances, but by his response to his circumstances."

"The ultimate check on population is the finite resources of the earth itself."

"It is better to live a short life of virtue than a long life of vice."

"The great question of political economy is how to distribute the fruits of labour among the members of society."

"A man who has tasted the fruits of success knows that it comes at a great cost."

"The progress of mankind depends upon the moral improvement of individuals."

"The poor have always been with us, and the question is not whether they should exist, but how they should be treated."

"A man cannot serve two masters: the pursuit of pleasure and the pursuit of virtue."

"The distribution of wealth determines the distribution of power in society."

"A man of principle will stand firm against the winds of popular opinion."

"The question of population is not merely an economic question, but a moral and philosophical one."

"It is the duty of every man to contribute to the improvement of the condition of those around him."

"The true riches of a nation are not in its gold and silver, but in the character of its people."