The Neolithic Revolution from a price-theoretic perspective

Jacob Weisdorf Ricardo Andrés Guzmán; Jacob Louis Weisdorf

doi:10.1016/j.jdeveco.2010.08.007

The Neolithic Revolution from a price-theoretic perspective

Jacob Weisdorf Ricardo Andrés Guzmán, Jacob Louis Weisdorf

Økonomisk Institut

6 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

The adoption of agriculture during the Neolithic period triggered the first demographic explosion in history. When fertility returned to its original level, agriculturalists were more numerous, more poorly nourished, and worked longer hours than their hunter–gatherer ancestors. We develop a dynamic price-theoretic model that rationalizes these events. In the short run, people are lured into agriculture by the increased labor productivity of both adults and children. In the long run, the growth in population overrides the productivity gains, and the later generations of agriculturalists end up being worse-off than the hunter–gatherers. Counter-intuitively, the increase in the labor productivity of children causes the long-run reduction in welfare. In the long run, the increase in adult labor productivity only contributes to population growth.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Journal of Development Economics
Vol/bind	96
Udgave nummer	2
Sider (fra-til)	209-219
Antal sider	11
ISSN	0304-3878
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdeveco.2010.08.007
Status	Udgivet - nov. 2011

Emneord

business and economics

Adgang til dokumentet

10.1016/j.jdeveco.2010.08.007

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=GatewayURL&_origin=IRSSCONTENT&_method=citationSearch&_piikey=S030438781000091X&_version=1&md5=1ca7fe7d45e22fe4ab37395c65d52eba

Citationsformater

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