Dynamics and Stagnation in the Malthusian Epoch

Quamrul Ashraf and Oded Galor

No 17037, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This paper examines the central hypothesis of the influential Malthusian theory, according to which improvements in the technological environment during the pre-industrial era had generated only temporary gains in income per capita, eventually leading to a larger, but not significantly richer, population. Exploiting exogenous sources of cross-country variations in land productivity and the level of technological advancement the analysis demonstrates that, in accordance with the theory, technological superiority and higher land productivity had significant positive effects on population density but insignificant effects on the standard of living, during the time period 1-1500 CE.

JEL-codes: J1 N0 O1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-evo
Note: EFG
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (284)

Published as Quamrul Ashraf & Oded Galor, 2011. "Dynamics and Stagnation in the Malthusian Epoch," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(5), pages 2003-41, August.

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Working Paper: Dynamics and Stagnation in the Malthusian Epoch (2011)
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