The rise and decline of english neo-Malthusianism

Abstract

The paper is an historical account of the motives and attitudes underlying the alliance between nineteenth century secularism and neo-Malthusianism. It seeks to show that the motives for this alliance were to be found in political economy and that a strict neo-Malthusianism died away in England as the economic structure changed and the population problem took new meanings. It regards the secularist attitude from Place and the utilitarians to Bradlaugh as one arising out of the social and economic background of the period. It also examines a few of the ecclesiastical reasons for opposing contraception.