Railroads, fertility and the demographic transition in England and Wales

Gregori Galofré-Vilà ()
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Gregori Galofré-Vilà: Universitat de València

Cliometrica, 2025, vol. 19, issue 3, No 5, 689-707

Abstract: Abstract This paper explores the transformative impact of railways on fertility in industrializing England and Wales. Using panel data with fixed effects and time-varying controls (N = 2,110), I find that at the local level fertility is around 3% higher in places that are connected to the railroad network than in unconnected units. To address endogeneity, I use an instrumental variable based on a network of least-cost paths. Results are robust to a range of specifications, including models in levels, differences, Coarsened Exact Matching estimation, Conley standard errors, and a range of placebo tests based on alternative means of transport.

Keywords: Fertility; Railroad; Industrial Revolution; Fertility transition; Technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J13 L92 N33 N73 O10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11698-024-00301-7

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