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Human Genetic Diversity and Comparative Economic Development

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Author Info
Ashraf, Quamrul
Galor, Oded

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Abstract

This research contributes to the understanding of human genetic diversity within a society as a significant determinant of its economic development. The hypothesis advanced and empirically examined in this paper suggests that there are socioeconomic trade-offs associated with genetic diversity within a given society. The investigation exploits an exogenous source of cross-country variation in genetic diversity by appealing to the "out of Africa" hypothesis of human origins to empirically establish a highly statistically significant and robust non-monotonic effect of genetic diversity on development outcomes in the pre-colonial era. Contrary to theories that reject a possible role for human genetics in influencing economic development, this study demonstrates the economic significance of diversity in genetic traits, while abstaining entirely from conceptual frameworks that posit a hierarchy of such traits in terms of their conduciveness to the process of economic development.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 6824.

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Date of creation: May 2008
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:6824

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Related research
Keywords: Comparative development; Human genetic diversity; Land productivity; Malthusian stagnation; Neolithic Revolution; Population density;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
N10 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Growth and Fluctuations - - - General, International, or Comparative
N30 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Income, and Wealth - - - General, International, or Comparative
N50 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - General, International, or Comparative
O10 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
O50 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - General
Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General

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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Diego A. Comin & William Easterly & Erick Gong, 2008. "Was the Wealth of Nations Determined in 1000 B.C.?," Harvard Business School Working Papers 09-052, Harvard Business School. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Jacob Weisdorf, 2008. "Why did the First Farmers Toil? Human Metabolism and the Origins of Agriculture," Discussion Papers 08-15, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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