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The Gender Gap, Fertility and Growth

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  • Oded Galor
  • David N. Weil

Abstract

This paper examines a novel mechanism linking fertility and growth. There are three components to the model: First, increases in capital per worker raise women's relative wages, since capital is more complementary to women's labor input than to men's. Second, increasing women's relative wages reduces fertility by raising the cost of children more than household income. And third, lower fertility raises the level of capital per worker. This positive feedback loop generates a demographic transition: a rapid decline in fertility accompanied by accelerated output growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Oded Galor & David N. Weil, 1993. "The Gender Gap, Fertility and Growth," Working Papers 1993-12, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bro:econwp:1993-12
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    References listed on IDEAS

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