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From Malthus to Modern Growth: Can Epidemics Explain the Three Regimes?

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Author Info
Lagerlöf, Nils-Petter (Concordia University)
Abstract

These are the stylized facts of long-run economic and demographic development, as described by Galor and Weil (AER 1999, 2000): Under an initial Malthusian Regime the growth rates of population and per-capita income are both low. Then follows a Post-Malthusian Regime, with higher growth rates of both population and per-capita income. Finally, the economy transits into a Modern Growth Regime, with falling population growth rates, but accelerated growth rates of per-capita inocme. This paper models the transition through all these three regimes endogenously. The model also captures the empirical regularity of a simultaneous fall in the level and the volatility of death rates, and the fact that death rates fell before birth rates. Throughout time, we let epidemic shocks hit the economy at a constant rate. However, with rising human capital the impact of these shocks is mitigated. For many generations the economy is stuck in a Malthusian Regime with volatile and high death rates. Sooner or later it experiences a phase of relatively mild epidemics. Mortality declines, enabling population and human capital to simultaneously start growing: a Post-Malthusian Regime. Once human capital growth has taken off, epidemic shocks have smaller impact. Finally comes a stage where parents start having fewer children, and instead invest more in their education: a quality-quantity switch. This triggers faster growth in human capital. The economy enters the Modern Growth Regime.

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Paper provided by Institute for Futures Studies in its series Arbetsrapport with number 2001:1.

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Length: 41 pages
Date of creation: 06 Feb 2001
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Handle: RePEc:hhs:ifswps:2001_001

Note: ISBN 91-89655-14-1
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Keywords: Malthus; population; income;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General

References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Tamura, Robert, 1996. "From decay to growth: A demographic transition to economic growth," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 20(6-7), pages 1237-1261. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Glaeser, Edward L., 1999. "Learning in Cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 254-277, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Oded Galor & Omer Moav, 1999. "From Physical to Human Capital Accumulation: Inequality in the Process of Development," Working Papers 99-27, Brown University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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  4. Gary S. Becker & Edward L. Glaeser & Kevin M. Murphy, 1999. "Population and Economic Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(2), pages 145-149, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Gary D. Hansen & Edward C. Prescott, 1998. "Malthus to Solow," NBER Working Papers 6858, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  6. Kalemli-Ozcan, Sebnem & Ryder, Harl E. & Weil, David N., 2000. "Mortality decline, human capital investment, and economic growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 1-23, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Jaffe, Adam B & Trajtenberg, Manuel & Henderson, Rebecca, 1993. "Geographic Localization of Knowledge Spillovers as Evidenced by Patent Citations," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 108(3), pages 577-98, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  8. Galor, Oded & Weil, David, 1999. "From Malthusian Stagnation to Modern Growth," CEPR Discussion Papers 2082, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  9. Gary S. Becker & Kevin M. Murphy & Robert Tamura, . "Human Capital, Fertility, and Economic Growth," University of Chicago - Population Research Center 90-5a, Chicago - Population Research Center. [Downloadable!]
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  10. Gary S. Becker & Robert J. Barro, . "A Reformulation of the Economic Theory of Fertility," University of Chicago - Population Research Center 85-11, Chicago - Population Research Center. [Downloadable!]
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  11. Barro, Robert J & Becker, Gary S, 1989. "Fertility Choice in a Model of Economic Growth," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 57(2), pages 481-501, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  12. Ehrlich, Isaac & Lui, Francis T, 1991. "Intergenerational Trade, Longevity, and Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(5), pages 1029-59, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  13. Edward L. Glaeser & David C. Mare, 1994. "Cities and Skills," NBER Working Papers 4728, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  14. Nishimura, K. & Zhang, J., 1990. "Pay-As-You-Go Public Pensions With Endogenous Fertility," Papers 202, Australian National University - Department of Economics.
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  15. Pritchett, Lant, 1995. "Divergence, big time," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1522, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
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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. Westholm, Erik, 2003. "Leaving Rurality Behind. Re-orientation of spatial policies in Sweden," Arbetsrapport 2003:12, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  2. Duvander, Ann-Zofie & Ferrarini, Tommy & Thalberg, Sara, 2005. "Swedish parental leave and gender equality - Achievements and reform challenges in a European perspective," Arbetsrapport 2005:11, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  3. Bäckman, Olof, 2005. "Welfare States, Social Structure and the Dynamics of Poverty Rates. A comparative study of 16 countries, 1980-2000," Arbetsrapport 2005:7, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  4. Lundqvist, Torbjörn, 2005. "The Employers in the Swedish Model The Importance of Labour Market Competition and Organisation," Arbetsrapport 2005:2, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  5. Thalberg, Sara, 2003. "Demographic Patterns in Europe. A review of Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania," Arbetsrapport 2003:8, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  6. Blomquist, Sören & Christiansen, Vidar, 2004. "Welfare Enhancing Marginal Tax Rates: The Case of Publicly Provided Day Care," Arbetsrapport 2004:6, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  7. Hong, Ying & Corman, Diana, 2005. "Women´s Return to Work after First Birth in Sweden during 1980-2000," Arbetsrapport 2005:19, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  8. Westholm, Erik, 2004. "Modes of re-territorialisation. Spatial implications of regional competition politics in Sweden," Arbetsrapport 2004:4, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  9. Lindh, Thomas & Malmberg, Bo, 2002. "Swedish post-war economic development. The role of age structure in a welfare state," Arbetsrapport 2003:4, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  10. Ström, Sara, 2005. "Childbearing and psycho-social work life conditions in Sweden 1991-2000," Arbetsrapport 2005:13, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
  11. Rydell, Ingrid, 2002. "Demographic Patterns from the 1960s in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal," Arbetsrapport 2003:2, Institute for Futures Studies. [Downloadable!]
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