The Transformation of Hunger Revisited

Ian Gazeley, Andrew Newell and Mintewab Bezabih ()
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Mintewab Bezabih: London School of Economics

No 7275, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We examine Trevon Logan's 2009 claim to have found low levels of nutrition among British worker's households in the late 19th century. Using the same data, we conclude that Logan's estimates are thirty percent too low. Logan buttressed his estimates by claiming that the income elasticity of calories demand was unusually high among these households, relative to other estimates, reflecting great hunger. We find that the elasticity is high, but not outside the range observed in other data sets. We also warn against the simple assertion that a high elasticity implies hunger.

Keywords: Britain; late 19th century; worker's households; living standards; nutrition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I15 I32 N33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 25 pages
Date: 2013-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-his and nep-ltv
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Published - published in: Journal of Economic History, 2015, 75(2), 512 - 552

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