TY - UNPB

T1 - Eye disease, the fertility decline, and the emergence of global income differences

AU - Andersen, Thomas B.

AU - Dalgaard, Carl-Johan Lars

AU - Selaya, Pablo

N1 - JEL Classification: O11; I00; Q54

PY - 2014/2/5

Y1 - 2014/2/5

N2 - This research advances and empirically establishes the hypothesis that regional variation in the historical incidence of eye disease has influenced the current global distribution of per capita income. By reducing work life expectancy, high historical eye disease incidence has served to diminish the incentive to accumulate skills, thereby delaying the fertility transition and the take-off to sustained economic growth. As a consequence of a differential timing of the take-off to growth, prompted by differences in the inherent return to skill formation, global income disparities have emerged.

AB - This research advances and empirically establishes the hypothesis that regional variation in the historical incidence of eye disease has influenced the current global distribution of per capita income. By reducing work life expectancy, high historical eye disease incidence has served to diminish the incentive to accumulate skills, thereby delaying the fertility transition and the take-off to sustained economic growth. As a consequence of a differential timing of the take-off to growth, prompted by differences in the inherent return to skill formation, global income disparities have emerged.

M3 - Working paper

BT - Eye disease, the fertility decline, and the emergence of global income differences

ER -