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Food, Fuel and the Domesday Economy

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  • Juan Moreno-Cruz
  • M. Scott Taylor

Abstract

This paper develops a theory where access to food and fuel energy is critical to the location, number, and size of human settlements. By combining our theory with a simple Malthusian mechanism, we generate predictions for the distribution of economic activity and population across geographic space. We evaluate the model using data drawn from the very first census undertaken in the English language - the Domesday census - commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086 A.D. Using G.I.S. data and techniques we find strong evidence that Malthusian forces determined the population size and the number of settlements in Domesday England.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Moreno-Cruz & M. Scott Taylor, 2020. "Food, Fuel and the Domesday Economy," NBER Working Papers 27414, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:27414
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q4 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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