The economics of early social stratification

Robert Rowthorn, Ricardo Guzmán () and Carlos Rodriguez-Sickert ()

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: We develop an endogenous fertility model of social stratification with two hereditary classes: warriors and peasants. Our model shows that the extra cost warriors must incur to raise their children and to equip them for war is the key determinant of (1) the relative sizes of both classes, and (2) the warriors' economic privileges in terms of income and consumption. The higher the cost of warrior children, the greater the economic privileges of warriors will be, and the smaller the ratio of warriors to peasants will be. Historical evidence confirms this prediction.

Keywords: Social stratification; income inequality; warfare; military participation ratio; Malthus; economic history; population economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N00 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-09-07
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https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/10115/1/MPRA_paper_10115.pdf original version (application/pdf)
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/16136/1/MPRA_paper_16136.pdf revised version (application/pdf)
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/17112/1/MPRA_paper_17112.pdf revised version (application/pdf)
https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/35567/1/MPRA_paper_35567.pdf revised version (application/pdf)

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