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Persistent Patterns Of Behavior: Two Infectious Disease Outbreaks 350 Years Apart

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  • Utteeyo Dasgupta
  • Chandan Kumar Jha
  • Sudipta Sarangi

Abstract

Outbreaks of infectious diseases bring behavior and policy responses into sharp focus since societies face acute constraints and uncertainties. This paper compares two infectious disease outbreaks: the Covid‐19 pandemic and the 1665 London plague outbreak described by Daniel Defoe in A Journal of the Year of the Plague published in 1722. We compare three aspects: individual behavior, social behavior, and governance and find striking similarities in behavior in spite of these events being separated by 350 years. We contend that the same models of behavior can be used to explain human responses during such outbreaks regardless of when they occur. (JEL A10, B52, Z11)

Suggested Citation

  • Utteeyo Dasgupta & Chandan Kumar Jha & Sudipta Sarangi, 2021. "Persistent Patterns Of Behavior: Two Infectious Disease Outbreaks 350 Years Apart," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(2), pages 848-857, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:59:y:2021:i:2:p:848-857
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.12961
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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Specific pandemics

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    4. Beniamino Callegari & Christophe Feder, 2022. "The long-term economic effects of pandemics: toward an evolutionary approach [Epidemics and trust: the case of the Spanish flu]," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 31(3), pages 715-735.
    5. Theologos Dergiades & Costas Milas & Elias Mossialos & Theodore Panagiotidis, 2023. "COVID-19 anti-contagion policies and economic support measures in the USA," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 75(3), pages 613-630.
    6. Stankov, Petar, 2024. "Will voters polarize over pandemic restrictions? Theory and evidence from COVID-19," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    7. Amir, Rabah & Liu, Zhiwei & Tian, Jingwen, 2023. "Negative network effects and public policy in vaccine markets," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 136-149.
    8. Li Yuelin & Liu Yujie & Shu Xiaohui, 2023. "Disrupted Class, Undisrupted Learning: A Study on the Effect of Online Learning Among Primary and Middle School Students," Studies in Microeconomics, , vol. 11(1), pages 36-59, April.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • A10 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - General
    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • Z11 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economics of the Arts and Literature

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