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Child Care and Human Development: Insights from Jewish History in Central and Eastern Europe, 1500–1930

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  • Maristella Botticini
  • Zvi Eckstein
  • Anat Vaturi

Abstract

Economists increasingly highlight the role that human capital formation, institutions and cultural transmission may play in shaping health, knowledge and wealth. We study one of the most remarkable instances in which religious norms and childcare practices had a major impact: the history of the Jews in central and eastern Europe from 1500 to 1930. We show that while birth rates were about the same, infant and child mortality among Jews was much lower and accounted for the main difference in Jewish versus non-Jewish natural population growth. Jewish families routinely adopted childcare practices that recent medical research has shown as enhancing children's well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Maristella Botticini & Zvi Eckstein & Anat Vaturi, 2019. "Child Care and Human Development: Insights from Jewish History in Central and Eastern Europe, 1500–1930," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 129(623), pages 2637-2690.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:129:y:2019:i:623:p:2637-2690.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/uez025
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    Cited by:

    1. Sascha O. BECKER & Francesco CINNIRELLA, 2020. "Prussia Disaggregated: The Demography of its Universe of Localities in 1871," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 86(3), pages 259-290, September.
    2. Sascha O. Becker & Jared Rubin & Ludger Woessmann, 2023. "Religion and Growth," Monash Economics Working Papers 2023-15, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    3. Timur Natkhov & Natalia Vasilenok, 2023. "Ethnic‐specific infant care practices and infant mortality in late Imperial Russia," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 76(3), pages 783-806, August.

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