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Russian Living Standards under the Tsars: Anthropometric Evidence from the Volga

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  • MIRONOV, BORIS
  • A'HEARN, BRIAN

Abstract

The trend in mean height in the Russian province of Saratov is estimated for birth cohorts from 1755 to 1892 on the basis of newly gathered archival data and published sources. Heights fell in the late eighteenth century due an increasing burden of taxes and feudal dues. Stature increased slowly throughout the nineteenth century, offering no support for the hypothesis of an agrarian crisis that provoked or followed from the abolition of serfdom in 1861. Improving living conditions can be attributed to economic development, rising productivity in agriculture, and diversification of peasant economic activity into other sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Mironov, Boris & A'Hearn, Brian, 2008. "Russian Living Standards under the Tsars: Anthropometric Evidence from the Volga," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 68(3), pages 900-929, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:68:y:2008:i:03:p:900-929_00
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Viktor Malein, 2021. "Human Capital and Industrialization: German Settlers in Late Imperial Russia," Working Papers 0221, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    2. Andrei Markevich & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2018. "The Economic Effects of the Abolition of Serfdom: Evidence from the Russian Empire," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(4-5), pages 1074-1117, April.
    3. Kufenko, Vadim & Khaustova, Ekaterina & Geloso, Vincent, 2022. "Escape underway: Malthusian pressures in late imperial Moscow," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    4. Jesús Gonzalo & Jean-Yves Pitarakis, 2013. "Estimation and inference in threshold type regime switching models," Chapters, in: Nigar Hashimzade & Michael A. Thornton (ed.), Handbook of Research Methods and Applications in Empirical Macroeconomics, chapter 8, pages 189-205, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Steckel, Richard H., 2009. "Heights and human welfare: Recent developments and new directions," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 1-23, January.
    6. Brian A'Hearn & John Komlos, 2015. "The Decline in the Nutritional Status of the U.S. Antebellum Population at the Onset of Modern Economic Growth," CESifo Working Paper Series 5691, CESifo.
    7. Komlos, John, 2019. "Shrinking in a growing economy is not so puzzling after all," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 40-55.
    8. Santiago-Caballero, Carlos, 2012. "Provincial grain yields in Spain, 1750-2009," IFCS - Working Papers in Economic History.WH wp12-04, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Figuerola.
    9. Santiago-Caballero, Carlos, 2012. "Explaining wheat yields in eighteenth-century Spain," IFCS - Working Papers in Economic History.WH wp12-05, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Figuerola.
    10. Matthias Blum & Karl‐Peter Krauss & Dmytro Myeshkov, 2022. "Human capital transfer of German‐speaking migrants in eastern Europe, 1780s–1820s," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 75(3), pages 703-738, August.
    11. Elena Korchmina & Mikołaj Malinowski, 2024. "How extractive was Russian Serfdom? Income inequality in Moscow Province in the early 19th century," Working Papers 0266, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    12. Carlos Santiago-Caballero, 2012. "Breaking with natural constraints: provincial grain yields in Spain 1750-2009," Working Papers 12015, Economic History Society.

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