Demographic Transition Theory Contradicted Repeatedly by Data

The latest and the most elaborate theory describing economic growth is the Unified Growth Theory (Galor, 2005, 2011). The theory, or model, describing the growth of human population is the Demographic Transition Theory (see for instance Caldwell, 1976, 2006; Casterline, 2003; Coale, 1973; Haupt & Kane, 2005; Kirk, 1996; Landry, 1934; Lee, 2003; Lehr, 2009; McFalls, 2007; Notestein, 1945; Olshansky & Ault, 1986; Olshansky, Carnes, Rogers, & Smith, 1997, 1998; Omran, 1971, 1983, 1998, 2005; Rogers & Hackenberg, 1987; Singha & Zacharia, 1984; Thompson, 1929; van de Kaa, 2008; Warf, 2010.). Both of these theories use similar approach and similar language. Both of them divide the economic growth or the growth of human population into distinctly different stages governed by distinctly different mechanisms. In particular, both of them claim an ages-long epoch of Malthusian stagnation followed by a sudden transition to a distinctly different stage, the transition described as a sudden takeoff, spurt, sprint or explosion.