How the West 'Invented' Fertility Restriction

Nico Voigtländer () and Hans-Joachim Voth

No 17314, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Europeans restricted their fertility long before the Demographic Transition. By raising the marriage age of women and ensuring that a substantial proportion remained celibate, the "European Marriage Pattern" (EMP) reduced childbirths by up to one third between the 14th and 18th century. In a Malthusian environment, this translated into lower population pressure, raising average wages significantly, which in turn facilitated industrialization. We analyze the rise of this first socio-economic institution in history that limited fertility through delayed marriage. Our model emphasizes changes in agricultural production following the Black Death in 1348-50. The land-intensive production of pastoral products increased in relative importance. Using detailed data from England after 1290, we show that women had a comparative advantage in livestock farming. They often worked as servants in husbandry, where they remained unmarried until their mid-twenties. Where pastoral agriculture dominated, marriage occurred markedly later. Overall, we estimate that pastoral farming raised female age at first marriage by more than 4 years.

JEL-codes: E20 N13 N33 O14 O41 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-dem, nep-his and nep-mac
Note: DAE POL
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Published as Nico Voigtl?nder & Hans-Joachim Voth, 2013. "How the West "Invented" Fertility Restriction," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(6), pages 2227-64, October.

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Related works:
Journal Article: How the West "Invented" Fertility Restriction (2013)
Working Paper: How the West "invented" fertility restriction (2012)
Working Paper: How the West 'Invented' Fertility Restriction (2010)
Working Paper: How the West 'Invented' Fertility Restriction (2010)
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