Matteo Cervellati and Uwe Sunde (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780262036627
- eISBN:
- 9780262341660
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262036627.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Economic History
Over the last two hundred years, mortality and fertility levels in the Western world have dropped to unprecedented levels. This demographic transition was accompanied by an economic transition that ...
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Over the last two hundred years, mortality and fertility levels in the Western world have dropped to unprecedented levels. This demographic transition was accompanied by an economic transition that led to widespread education and economic growth after centuries of near-stagnation. At the same time, other changes have occurred in family structures, culture, and the organization of society. Economists have only recently begun to take into account the demographic transition from high mortality and high fertility when modeling and researching economic development. This book reviews recent approaches to economic demography, considering such topics as the bio-geographic origins of comparative development differences; the role of health improvements and mortality decline; as well as physiological, familial, cultural, and social aspects. After an overview of the study of demography and economic demography, the chapters cover subjects including the Neolithic era and the period of the formation of states and social institutions; longevity and economic growth; household decision making and fertility; land inequality, education, and marriage in nineteenth century Prussia; and caste systems and technology in pre-modern societies. The book concludes with a call for further investigation of the institutional and social factors that influence demographics and economies, suggesting that unified growth theory offers a potential approach to studying development.Less
Over the last two hundred years, mortality and fertility levels in the Western world have dropped to unprecedented levels. This demographic transition was accompanied by an economic transition that led to widespread education and economic growth after centuries of near-stagnation. At the same time, other changes have occurred in family structures, culture, and the organization of society. Economists have only recently begun to take into account the demographic transition from high mortality and high fertility when modeling and researching economic development. This book reviews recent approaches to economic demography, considering such topics as the bio-geographic origins of comparative development differences; the role of health improvements and mortality decline; as well as physiological, familial, cultural, and social aspects. After an overview of the study of demography and economic demography, the chapters cover subjects including the Neolithic era and the period of the formation of states and social institutions; longevity and economic growth; household decision making and fertility; land inequality, education, and marriage in nineteenth century Prussia; and caste systems and technology in pre-modern societies. The book concludes with a call for further investigation of the institutional and social factors that influence demographics and economies, suggesting that unified growth theory offers a potential approach to studying development.
John B. Shoven
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226754727
- eISBN:
- 9780226754758
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226754758.003.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Macro- and Monetary Economics
Demography includes not only fertility, mortality, and immigration, but also the racial and gender composition of the population, living arrangements, marriage, divorce, the timing of the entry and ...
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Demography includes not only fertility, mortality, and immigration, but also the racial and gender composition of the population, living arrangements, marriage, divorce, the timing of the entry and exit from the workforce and age-, gender-, and race-specific health and disability. Economic demography is a vast topic and just a tip of the iceberg is provided by discussing the important connections between the two fields. This book offers deeper analysis of a variety of issues such as the impact of greater wealth on choices about marriage and childbearing and the effects of aging populations on housing prices, Social Security, and Medicare.Less
Demography includes not only fertility, mortality, and immigration, but also the racial and gender composition of the population, living arrangements, marriage, divorce, the timing of the entry and exit from the workforce and age-, gender-, and race-specific health and disability. Economic demography is a vast topic and just a tip of the iceberg is provided by discussing the important connections between the two fields. This book offers deeper analysis of a variety of issues such as the impact of greater wealth on choices about marriage and childbearing and the effects of aging populations on housing prices, Social Security, and Medicare.
Francesco C. Billari and Guido Tabellini
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226754727
- eISBN:
- 9780226754758
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226754758.003.0011
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Macro- and Monetary Economics
This chapter explores the question of whether a late transition into adulthood reduces the lifetime economic opportunities of individuals. Italians provide a case study in economic demography. Their ...
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This chapter explores the question of whether a late transition into adulthood reduces the lifetime economic opportunities of individuals. Italians provide a case study in economic demography. Their fertility rate is among the lowest in the world. Italian men study longer or at least complete college later, they enter the labor force later, and they leave the parental home later than men in any other developed country in the world. It is not unusual for Italian men to live with their parents late into their twenties and sometimes into their thirties. The chapter summarizes the situation by characterizing Italian men as entering adulthood later than men in other countries. They start all adult activities at a much later age than is common in other countries at comparable levels for development, from working, to living alone, to marrying, to having children. This chapter looks at whether this lateness reduces the lifetime economic opportunities of individuals or not. The chapter examines survey data for Italians in their mid-thirties. The key finding is that the age of leaving the parental home is quite important in terms of earnings several years later.Less
This chapter explores the question of whether a late transition into adulthood reduces the lifetime economic opportunities of individuals. Italians provide a case study in economic demography. Their fertility rate is among the lowest in the world. Italian men study longer or at least complete college later, they enter the labor force later, and they leave the parental home later than men in any other developed country in the world. It is not unusual for Italian men to live with their parents late into their twenties and sometimes into their thirties. The chapter summarizes the situation by characterizing Italian men as entering adulthood later than men in other countries. They start all adult activities at a much later age than is common in other countries at comparable levels for development, from working, to living alone, to marrying, to having children. This chapter looks at whether this lateness reduces the lifetime economic opportunities of individuals or not. The chapter examines survey data for Italians in their mid-thirties. The key finding is that the age of leaving the parental home is quite important in terms of earnings several years later.
Charles S. Pearson
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- August 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780190223915
- eISBN:
- 9780190223946
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190223915.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
This book traces world population growth and (prospective) decline using the lens of economic demography. The starting point is the flawed theory of Malthus in 1798; the end point is unknown, but ...
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This book traces world population growth and (prospective) decline using the lens of economic demography. The starting point is the flawed theory of Malthus in 1798; the end point is unknown, but most probably features global aging and depopulation. While the Malthusian overpopulation threat of the post World War II decades has been thwarted, its obverse, fertility rates plunging below replacement level, creates new challenges. From too many to too few? The upside of depopulation is less stress on environmental resources; the downside may be a loss of economic vitality. Moreover, population decline threatens the “generational bargain” in which working generations support both youth and the elderly through health and retirement schemes. Developing countries are not off the hook as they also are rapidly aging and some will lose population before they are “rich.” The analysis pays special attention to the concepts of optimal population and demographic transition, and suggests a new metric for identifying who is elderly. It concludes with a balanced assessment of coping strategies—pro-natal policies, migration, labor–market participation, human capital, and a deliberate de-growth strategy.Less
This book traces world population growth and (prospective) decline using the lens of economic demography. The starting point is the flawed theory of Malthus in 1798; the end point is unknown, but most probably features global aging and depopulation. While the Malthusian overpopulation threat of the post World War II decades has been thwarted, its obverse, fertility rates plunging below replacement level, creates new challenges. From too many to too few? The upside of depopulation is less stress on environmental resources; the downside may be a loss of economic vitality. Moreover, population decline threatens the “generational bargain” in which working generations support both youth and the elderly through health and retirement schemes. Developing countries are not off the hook as they also are rapidly aging and some will lose population before they are “rich.” The analysis pays special attention to the concepts of optimal population and demographic transition, and suggests a new metric for identifying who is elderly. It concludes with a balanced assessment of coping strategies—pro-natal policies, migration, labor–market participation, human capital, and a deliberate de-growth strategy.
