Physiological constraints and the transition to growth: implications for comparative development

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Physiological constraints and the transition to growth : implications for comparative development. / Dalgaard, Carl Johan; Madsen, Jakob B.; Strulik, Holger.

I: Journal of Economic Growth, 2021, s. 241-289.

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt

Harvard

Dalgaard, CJ, Madsen, JB & Strulik, H 2021, 'Physiological constraints and the transition to growth: implications for comparative development', Journal of Economic Growth, s. 241-289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10887-021-09193-y

APA

Dalgaard, C. J., Madsen, J. B., & Strulik, H. (2021). Physiological constraints and the transition to growth: implications for comparative development. Journal of Economic Growth, 241-289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10887-021-09193-y

Vancouver

Dalgaard CJ, Madsen JB, Strulik H. Physiological constraints and the transition to growth: implications for comparative development. Journal of Economic Growth. 2021;241-289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10887-021-09193-y

Author

Dalgaard, Carl Johan ; Madsen, Jakob B. ; Strulik, Holger. / Physiological constraints and the transition to growth : implications for comparative development. I: Journal of Economic Growth. 2021 ; s. 241-289.

Bibtex

@article{5beed939a7014b96ac0b3361ac9ec52a,
title = "Physiological constraints and the transition to growth: implications for comparative development",
abstract = "It is a well known fact that economic development and distance to the equator are positively correlated variables in the world today. It is perhaps less well known that as recently as 1500 C.E. it was the other way around. The present paper provides a theory of why the {\textquoteleft}latitude gradient{\textquoteright} changed sign in the course of the last half millennium. In particular, we develop a dynamic model of economic and physiological development in which households decide upon the number and nutrition of their offspring. In this setting we demonstrate that relatively high metabolic costs of fertility, which may have emerged due to positive selection towards greater cold tolerance in locations away from the equator, would work to stifle economic development during pre-industrial times, yet allow for an early onset of sustained growth. As a result, the theory suggests a reversal of fortune whereby economic activity gradually shifts away from the equator in the process of long-term economic development. Our empirical results give supporting evidence for our hypothesis.",
keywords = "Comparative development, Education, Evolution, Fertility, LONg-run growth, Nutrition",
author = "Dalgaard, {Carl Johan} and Madsen, {Jakob B.} and Holger Strulik",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s).",
year = "2021",
doi = "10.1007/s10887-021-09193-y",
language = "English",
pages = "241--289",
journal = "Journal of Economic Growth",
issn = "1381-4338",
publisher = "Springer",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Physiological constraints and the transition to growth

T2 - implications for comparative development

AU - Dalgaard, Carl Johan

AU - Madsen, Jakob B.

AU - Strulik, Holger

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - It is a well known fact that economic development and distance to the equator are positively correlated variables in the world today. It is perhaps less well known that as recently as 1500 C.E. it was the other way around. The present paper provides a theory of why the ‘latitude gradient’ changed sign in the course of the last half millennium. In particular, we develop a dynamic model of economic and physiological development in which households decide upon the number and nutrition of their offspring. In this setting we demonstrate that relatively high metabolic costs of fertility, which may have emerged due to positive selection towards greater cold tolerance in locations away from the equator, would work to stifle economic development during pre-industrial times, yet allow for an early onset of sustained growth. As a result, the theory suggests a reversal of fortune whereby economic activity gradually shifts away from the equator in the process of long-term economic development. Our empirical results give supporting evidence for our hypothesis.

AB - It is a well known fact that economic development and distance to the equator are positively correlated variables in the world today. It is perhaps less well known that as recently as 1500 C.E. it was the other way around. The present paper provides a theory of why the ‘latitude gradient’ changed sign in the course of the last half millennium. In particular, we develop a dynamic model of economic and physiological development in which households decide upon the number and nutrition of their offspring. In this setting we demonstrate that relatively high metabolic costs of fertility, which may have emerged due to positive selection towards greater cold tolerance in locations away from the equator, would work to stifle economic development during pre-industrial times, yet allow for an early onset of sustained growth. As a result, the theory suggests a reversal of fortune whereby economic activity gradually shifts away from the equator in the process of long-term economic development. Our empirical results give supporting evidence for our hypothesis.

KW - Comparative development

KW - Education

KW - Evolution

KW - Fertility

KW - LONg-run growth

KW - Nutrition

U2 - 10.1007/s10887-021-09193-y

DO - 10.1007/s10887-021-09193-y

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85109329750

SP - 241

EP - 289

JO - Journal of Economic Growth

JF - Journal of Economic Growth

SN - 1381-4338

ER -

ID: 275323275