How would both karl marx and adam smith respond to thomas malthus's ideas regarding poverty? they would have agreed that poverty was the result of a natural increase in population in relation to food supply. they would have disagreed on the idea that assisting the poor caused them long-term harm. they would have agreed that it was impossible to develop agriculture sufficient to feed any population. they would have disagreed on the idea that war, poverty, disease, and famine were natural checks to population growth.