The Child is Father of the Man: Implications for the Demographic Transition

David de la Croix and Omar Licandro ()

No 376, Working Papers from Barcelona School of Economics

Abstract: We propose a new theory of the demographic transition based on the evidence that body development during childhood is an important predictor of adult life expectancy. This theory is embodied in an OLG framework where fertility, longevity and education all result from individual decisions. The model displays different regimes, allowing the economy to move slowly from an initial Malthusian regime towards the Modern era. The dynamics reproduces the key features of the demographic transition, including the permanent increase in life expectancy, resulting from improvements in body development, the hump in both population growth and fertility, and a late increase in secondary educational attainments.

Keywords: education; fertility; Life Expectancy; Height; mortality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I20 J11 J24 N30 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-09
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Child is Father Of the Man: Implications for the Demographic Transition (2013)
Working Paper: The Child is Father of the Man: Implications for the Demographic Transition (2009)
Working Paper: The Child is Father of the Man: by Implications for the Demographic Transition (2008)
Working Paper: The Child is Father of the Man: Implications for the Demographic Transition (2008)
Working Paper: ‘The child is father of the man’: implications for the demographic transition (2007)
Working Paper: ?The Child is Father of the Man:? Implications for the Demographic Transition (2007)
Working Paper: ‘The Child is Father of the Man:’ Implications for the Demographic Transition (2007)
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