Page:Indian Journal of Economics Volume 2.djvu/127

TING TO INDIA 115 in and the India. The evils of economic dependence, social degradation widespread poverty and destitution may be traced to extraordinary growth of population relatively to the means of subsistence. Yet the further analysis, which the progress of social and economic studies has made' possible, shows ths? the excess of population is due to definite causes means of reducing the evil are well and that the understood. We wish to extend s hearty welcome to Mr. Wsttal's book: in the first place because of the very great importance of the subject, and secondly because he has produced a scholarly little work of an earnest and thoughtful character, eonta/ning plenty of evidence of careful research and of s well balanced ?udgment. Too many Indian economists are content with descriptions of existing economic conditions, which they issue to the public under the imposing title of "Indian Economies ". It is to be hoped that the book under review may serve as an example which will stimulate all economists in Ind/s to s study of those deep underlying economic forces, which are st present so very little understood or even studied. Whilst we can justly praise the book under review, it is by no means the last word on the subject, and we hope that it will stimulate professors of economies to investigate further the various difficult questions which it raises. A brief accost of the book and its argument may be of interest, and with this we may couple a critical estimate of some of the author's statements and conclusions. The first chapter state? the and clearly. We like from it- Law of Population it so much, that very concisely we quote fully "Population ... has an inherent tendency to multiply beyond the means of subsistence prepared for it by Nature;... This general tendency to increase is held in cheek in' two ways, by the preventive and the positive cheeks. The preventive cheek is voluntary and consists in the restraint from marriage when there is no reasonable chance of maintaining the lmbittml standard of comfort in life. The positive cheeks include diseases, wars, epidemics, famines, extreme poverty, unwholesome occupation, etc., in short everything which in any way contributes to shorten the nstarsl duration of life. Such being the nature of the checks' to the increase of population it is evident that the preventira and positive chc?ks