The Shadow of the Neolithic Revolution on Life Expectancy: A Double-Edged Sword

84 Pages Posted: 11 Jul 2022 Last revised: 14 Apr 2023

See all articles by Raphael Franck

Raphael Franck

Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Department of Economics

Oded Galor

Brown University - Department of Economics; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Omer Moav

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); University of Warwick - Department of Economics; Reichman University

Ömer Özak

Southern Methodist University (SMU); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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Date Written: July 2022

Abstract

This research explores the persistent effect of the Neolithic Revolution on the evolution of life expectancy in the course of human history. It advances the hypothesis and establishes empirically that the onset of the Neolithic Revolution and the associated rise in infectious diseases triggered a process of adaptation reducing mortality from infectious diseases while increasing the propensity for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Exploiting an exogenous source of variation in the timing of the Neolithic Revolution across French regions, the analysis establishes the presence of these conflicting forces - the beneficial effects on life expectancy before the second epidemiological transition and their adverse effects thereafter.

Suggested Citation

Franck, Raphael and Galor, Oded and Moav, Omer and Özak, Ömer, The Shadow of the Neolithic Revolution on Life Expectancy: A Double-Edged Sword (July 2022). NBER Working Paper No. w30221, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4159134

Raphael Franck (Contact Author)

Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Department of Economics ( email )

Mount Scopus
Jerusalem, 91905
Israel

Oded Galor

Brown University - Department of Economics ( email )

Providence, RI 02912
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.brown.edu/fac/Oded_Galor/

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www.econ.brown.edu/fac/Oded_Galor/

Omer Moav

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

University of Warwick - Department of Economics ( email )

Coventry CV4 7AL
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/academic/moav

Reichman University ( email )

Israel

Ömer Özak

Southern Methodist University (SMU) ( email )

6212 Bishop Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75275
United States

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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