Pre-Modern Growth: Why It Happened Flashcards
Traditional view of why Europe diverged from Asia (7)
(China was….)
• Different demographics
• Poor institutions
• Less urban and more commercialised
• Less productive agriculture
• Less innovative - hence lower productivity
Clark’s efficiency, culture and institutions.
• Expensive energy sources
(2 inst ones, 3 LESS, dem, energy)
Clark’s view on ‘efficiency culture and institutions’
Local culture-work ethics and effort are key.
Was better in EU so EU>Asia productivity.
Demography focus in China (3)
What is significant about it though? (1)
Births and deaths higher in China (1st stage of demo transition- slow population growth, limited economic growth)
Population suffered to due famines (unstable pop)
Lower wages due to institutions governing marriage and fertility. Universal marriage.
Significant as Chinese demographics did not change. Suggesting EU demographics were more important/differed.
Demography focus in EU (3)
EU underwent the demographic transition
EU-fertility central
England-nuptiality was central
What is CDR determined by?
War, famine, plague etc.
CBR determined by… (2)
Fertility rates
Female Age of First Marriage (FAFM)
1.Female age of first marriage (FAFM) in England from 1800–1837 compared to Bangladesh
2.Celibacy rates in England compared to LDCs in 20C, and who confirms both these in his studies?
- Relationship of fertility and income. And when did it stop
1.High- 23.1 compared to 16 in Bangladesh.
I.e British marrying late.
2.10-15% compared to 0% in LDCs (Hajnal confirms both these)
- Income and fertility rose together until 18C (this is what Malthus failed to foresee- market for children QQ)
2 limits/ equilibrium forces against population growth, and how it links to reject Malthusian trap
Positive checks-increase mortality (war, plague, famine)
Preventative checks-lower fertility (abstinence, delayed marriage)
This breaks out us out of Malthusian trap, where checks ensure population doesn’t get too high, and eat up growth. (Malthusian trap-Richer, more children, children eat more, levelling out growth)
What checks did Asia and Western EU rely on?
Asia-positive (positive for lower income societies)
WEU-preventative (preventative is for higher income societies)
Hajnal’s study
Confirmed WEU relied on preventative checks, as WEU had a lower marriage rate and higher FAFM (female age at first marriage)
Area separating WEU from rest of world was called hajnal line.
West was where fertility was low, (preventative)
East fertility was high but countered by high mortality (positive )
Note: graph shows EU countries % of women unmarried is a lot higher. (Preventative checks)
Allen’s theory
A more elastic CBR key to EU success (responsive to changes in wage).
WEU had higher wages due to preventative checks meaning more in work, higher labour costs spurring industrialisation for promoting labour-saving technology. Solovian growth then followed (tech change K intensive), which then made specialisation (Smithian growth )easier.
Government institutions, China vs EU
China was centralised, no institutional tension=no institutional change.
EU was decentralised, powerful aristocracies, churches etc which resulted in more change
What theory explains why governments exist?
Theory of Bandits
Theory of Bandits
Free rider problem-no incentive to contribute.
Bandits tax people by monopolising theft. They then become stationary and tax regularly as no need to rove anymore. Less tax encourages greater production, and also increases tax revenue for higher output. Stationary bandits provide public goods, so citizens are protected. Everyone benefits.
So stationary bandits>roving bandits=lower tax rate for villagers, higher tax revenue for bandits
