Variety, Fertility, and Long-term Economic Growth

Jianchun Dou
(2021) , 40 pages

Files

2021020.pdf
  • Open Access
  • Adobe PDF
  • 2.26 MB
Download

Details

Authors
  • Jianchun DouShaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China. Corresponding author IRES
    Author
Abstract
This study develops a novel mechanism to explain the long-term economic and demographic evolution from the Malthusian stage to the modern stage. In the model, the progress in human history is characterized by not only technological advances but also the expansion of variety of goods. The technological progress, which enhances productivity, is in favor of population growth. Meanwhile, the growth of variety that expands consumption sets tends to reduce fertility. The change of fertility finally depends on the relative growth rate of these two kinds of innovations. With the help of some hypotheses that correspond to the stylized facts in the history of science and technology, the model predicts an evolutional pattern of technology and fertility that is consistent with unified growth theory.
Affiliations

Citations

  • APA
  • Chicago
  • FWB

Jianchun Dou. (2021). Variety, Fertility, and Long-term Economic Growth (LIDAM Discussion Paper IRES/2021/20). https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/107939