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Agricultural output, calories and living standards in England before and during the Industrial Revolution

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  • Morgan Kelly
  • Cormac Ó Gráda

Abstract

This paper surveys the results of four recent, separate attempts at estimating agricultural output and food availability in England and Wales at points between the Middle Ages and the Industrial Revolution. It highlights their contrasting implications for trends in economic growth and nutritional status over time. It also offers some suggestions aimed at narrowing gaps between the evidence and how it has been interpreted.

Suggested Citation

  • Morgan Kelly & Cormac Ó Gráda, 2012. "Agricultural output, calories and living standards in England before and during the Industrial Revolution," Working Papers 201212, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
  • Handle: RePEc:ucn:wpaper:201212
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10197/3723
    File Function: First version, 2012
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bernard Harris & Roderick Floud & Sok Chul Hong, 2014. "Food for Thought: Comparing Estimates of Food Availability in England and Wales, 1700-1914," NBER Working Papers 20177, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. José L. Martínez González, 2019. "High Wages or Wages For Energy? An Alternative View of The British Case (1645-1700)," Working Papers 0158, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    3. José L. Martínes-González, 2015. "Did Climate Change Influence English Agricultural Development? (1645-1740)," Working Papers 0075, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agriculture; Nutrition; Economic growth; Agricultural productivity--Wales--History; Agricultural productivity--England--History; Nutrition--Wales--History; Nutrition--England--History; Economic development--Wales--History; Economic development--England--History;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N1 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations
    • N5 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries

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