We present international evidence on the marriage market implications of cohort size growth, and set out a theoretical model of how marriage markets adjust to imbalances. Since men marry younger women, secular growth in cohort size in the second phase of the demographic transition worsens the position of women. This e¤ect has been substantial in many Asian countries earlier, and continues to be...

During the last two and a half decades, China has witnessed demographic change of historic proportions. It has transformed from a “demographic transitional” society, one where reductions in mortality led to rapid population growth and subsequent reductions in fertility led to slower population growth, to a “posttransitional” society, where life expectancy has reached new heights, fertility has ...

This paper develops the theoretical foundations and the testable implications of the various mechanisms that have been proposed as possible triggers for the demographic transition. Moreover, it examines the empirical validity of each of the theories and their significance for the understanding of the transition from stagnation to growth. The analysis suggests that the rise in the demand for hum...

The world and most regions and countries are experiencing unprecedentedly rapid demographic change. The most obvious example of this change is the huge expansion of human numbers: four billion have been added since 1950. Projections for the next half century expect a highly divergent world, with stagnation or potential decline in parts of the developed world and continued rapid growth in the le...

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; Olshan...

Over the past couple of decades, if not more, Kerala, a state in southern India, has drawn both international and national attention for its achievements in demographic transition with fertility reaching below replacement level and under 5 mortality comparing with most of the developed countries. In the social sector the literacy level (both male and female) has been the highest in the country ...

The paper develops a general equilibriummodel where population sources, such as fertility and mortality rates, are chosen variables. It is shown that the evolution of population over time depends on income and relative prices of mortality and fertility rates. Initially as a country develops, countries should face a period with increasing fertility and higher population growth rates but later fe...

Life Expectancy and Economic Growth: The Role of the Demographic Transition In this paper we investigate the causal effect of life expectancy on economic growth by explicitly accounting for the role of the demographic transition. In addition to focusing on issues of empirical identification, this paper emphasizes the role of the econometric specification. We present a simple theory of the econo...

In the 19th century, the United Kingdom began a period of economic transformation known as the Industrial Revolution. While the typical reader may think of Dickensian mills when hearing of the Industrial Revolun the 19th century, the United Kingdom began a period of economic transformation known as the Industrial Revolution. It’s commonly believed that this era opened as new inventions improved...