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Malthus in Pre-industrial Northern Italy? A Cointegration Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Maja Pedersen

    (University of Southern Denmark)

  • Claudia Riani

    (I.R.T.A. - Leonardo, Pisa)

  • Paul Sharp

    (University of Southern Denmark)

Abstract

Although a number of studies have attempted to test the hypothesis of a “Malthusian” pre-industrial world, few have focused on countries outside the UK, or on the “post-Malthusian” regime postulated by Unified Growth Theory. The present work is the first to test explicitly for the post-Malthusian regime in a setting outside the UK and Scandinavia, namely northern Italy from 1650. Employing a cointegrated VAR model, we find evidence that this part of the world does not fit cleanly into the Malthusian or post-Malthusian worlds, suggesting room for an extension of the simple Malthusian model.

Suggested Citation

  • Maja Pedersen & Claudia Riani & Paul Sharp, 2019. "Malthus in Pre-industrial Northern Italy? A Cointegration Approach," Working Papers 0156, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    • Handle: RePEc:hes:wpaper:0156
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Peter Sandholt Jensen & Maja Uhre Pedersen & Cristina Victoria Radu & Paul Richard Sharp, 2020. "Arresting the Sword of Damocles: Dating the Transition to the Post-Malthusian Era in Denmark," Working Papers 0182, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cointegration; Italy; Malthusian; post-Malthusian;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • N33 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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