A Malthusian model for all seasons?

Paul Sharp and Jacob Weisdorf

PSE Working Papers from HAL

Abstract: An issue often discussed in relation to agricultural development is the effect on agricultural labour productivity of more intensive land-use. Introducing aspects of seasonality into a stylized Malthusian model, we unify two diverging views by showing that labour productivity may go up or down with agricultural intensification, depending on whether technological progress emerges in relation to cultivation or harvesting activities. Our result rests on evidence reported by Boserup (1965) and others, which suggests that harvest seasons in traditional agriculture are characterized by severe labour shortage.

Keywords: agricultural intensification; Boserup; labour surplus; Malthus; seasonality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-02
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00586874v1
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00586874v1/document (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: A malthusian model for all seasons (2009)
Working Paper: A Malthusian model for all seasons? (2008)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:psewpa:halshs-00586874

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in PSE Working Papers from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().