Malthusian Population Dynamics

Question 1

Micro Evidence for the Malthusian System: France 1670-1840

Answer 1

There exist macro and micro assumptions in the Malthusian model.
Macro: Technology is stagnant and exogenous
Micro: Parental behavioural response to economic conditions.

Absence of no pre-industrial family size adjustment: parents do not adjust family size in response to the introduction of an extra unanticipated child (twin). Confirms Malthus preventive check

Poorer individuals delayed marriage. This regulated population growth and thus made France richer than it otherwise would have been.

The fertility decline preceded economic growth in France but Malthusian dynamics still existed.

Question 2

Living standards & Mortality since the Middle ages

Answer 2

Poor harvests (back-to-back failures) had a smaller effect on mass mortality when systematic poor relief was present. This outlines the role of institutions on Malthusian theory.
- Suggesting and inconclusive due to lack of causal inference.