How does the demographic transition theory contrast with the malthusian theory?

Demographic transition theory posits that societies move through stages of population growth characterized by declining birth and death rates as they develop economically and socially, leading to stabilized populations. In contrast, Malthusian theory argues that population growth will inevitably outpace food supply, resulting in famine, disease, and other checks on population. While demographic transition emphasizes adaptation and improvement in living conditions, Malthusian theory is more pessimistic, predicting inevitable limits to growth due to resource scarcity. Thus, the former suggests a path toward sustainability, whereas the latter warns of crisis due to unchecked growth.