Institutions and Demographic Responses to Shocks: Württemberg, 1634-1870

62 Pages Posted: 20 Mar 2008

See all articles by Timothy W. Guinnane

Timothy W. Guinnane

Yale University - Department of Economics; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Sheilagh Ogilvie

All Souls College, Oxford; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Date Written: March 1, 2008

Abstract

Simple Malthusian models remain an important tool for understanding pre-modern demographic systems and their connection to the economy. But most recent literature has lost sight of the institutional context for demographic behavior that lay at the heart of Malthus's own analysis. This paper estimates a short-run version of a Malthusian model for two Württemberg communities from 1646 to 1870. Württemberg differed institutionally from the northwest European societies analyzed in previous studies. The impact of institutional differences shows clearly in differing demographic reactions to economic shocks. Mortality was less sensitive to shocks than one would expect, while nuptiality was especially sensitive.

Keywords: Malthusian models, mortality, fertility, nuptiality, guilds

JEL Classification: N33, J10

Suggested Citation

Guinnane, Timothy W. and Ogilvie, Sheilagh, Institutions and Demographic Responses to Shocks: Württemberg, 1634-1870 (March 1, 2008). Yale University Economic Growth Center Discussion Paper No. 962, Yale Economics Department Working Paper No. 44, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1109058

Timothy W. Guinnane (Contact Author)

Yale University - Department of Economics ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://sites.google.com/site/timothywguinnanec/

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Sheilagh Ogilvie

All Souls College, Oxford ( email )

All Souls College
Oxford, OX1 4AL
United Kingdom
44-7799-870245 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.asc.ox.ac.uk/person/3498

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

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