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Population, Technology, and Growth: From Malthusian Stagnation to the Demographic Transition and Beyond

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  • Oded Galor
  • David N. Weil

Abstract

This paper develops a unified growth model that captures the historical evolution of population, technology, and output. It encompasses the endogenous transition between three regimes that have characterized economic development. The economy evolves from a Malthusian regime, where technological progress is slow and population growth prevents any sustained rise in income per capita, into a Post-Malthusian regime, where technological progress rises and population growth absorbs only part of output growth. Ultimately, a demographic transition reverses the positive relationship between income and population growth, and the economy enters a Modern Growth regime, with reduced population growth and sustained income growth.
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Suggested Citation

  • Oded Galor & David N. Weil, 1999. "Population, Technology, and Growth: From Malthusian Stagnation to the Demographic Transition and Beyond," Working Papers 99-35, Brown University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bro:econwp:99-35
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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