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The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 20: An interpretative survey in the time of COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Prema-chandra Athukorala
  • Chaturica Athukorala

Abstract

The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918-20 commonly known as the Spanish flu infected over a quarter of the world s population and killed over 50 million people. It is by far the greatest humanitarian disaster caused by infectious disease in modern history. Epidemiologists and health scientists often draw on this experience to set the plausible upper bound (the worst case scenario ) on future pandemic mortality. The purpose of this study is to piece together and analyse the scattered multi-disciplinary literature on the pandemic in order to place debates on the evolving course of the current COVID-19 crisis in historical perspective. The analysis focuses on the changing characteristics of pathogens and disease over time, the institutional factors that shaped the global spread, and the demographic and socio-economic consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Prema-chandra Athukorala & Chaturica Athukorala, 2020. "The Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 20: An interpretative survey in the time of COVID-19," Departmental Working Papers 2020-21, The Australian National University, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:pas:papers:2020-21
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    File URL: https://crawford.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/2025-02/acde_td_athukorala_athukorala_2020_21.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Masato Shizume, 2022. "The Great Influenza Pandemic in Japan: Policy Responses and Socioeconomic Consequences," Discussion Paper Series DP2022-27, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University, revised Oct 2022.
    2. Mikel Erkoreka & Josu Hernando & Eduardo J. Alonso & Anton Erkoreka, 2021. "Impacto económico, demográfico y social de la pandemia de gripe española en Bizkaia (1918-1920)," Investigaciones de Historia Económica - Economic History Research (IHE-EHR), Journal of the Spanish Economic History Association, Asociación Española de Historia Económica, vol. 17(02), pages 42-53.
    3. Brata, Aloysius Gunadi & Triandaru, Sigit & Patnasari, Yenny & Setyastuti, Rini & Sutarta, Agustinus Edi & Sukamto, Andreas, 2022. "The Spanish Flu Pandemic and Income Distribution in Java: Lessons from the 1920s," Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, vol. 56(3), pages 103-117.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F50 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - General
    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • O50 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - General
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics

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