Moneywise On Oneplace.com

Jerry Bowyer is our resident economist here at FaithFi and the president of Bowyer Research. He’s also the author of The Maker and the Takers: What Jesus Really Said About Social Justice and Economics.  Fans of the story might remember this exchange: Scrooge: “My taxes help support the public institutions which I’ve mentioned and they cost enough. Those who are badly off must go there.”Portly Gentleman: Many can’t go there and many would rather die.Scrooge: If they had rather die, perhaps they had better do so and decrease the surplus population.Portly Gentleman: Surely you don’t mean that, sir?Scrooge: “With all my heart … “ WHAT HAVE WE BEEN MISSING IN "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" ABOUT THE PHRASE "SURPLUS POPULATION"?This phrase reflects the Malthusian belief prevalent in the 1800s, suggesting that population growth, especially among the poor, outpaces the supply of resources."Surplus population" was a key term in the Malthusian debate, which argued that population growth surpasses food and resource supply, especia