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Reproduction, Compositional Demography, and Economic Growth: Family Planning in England Long Before the Fertility Decline

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  • Simon Szreter
  • Eilidh Garrett

Abstract

This article offers a radical reinterpretation of the chronology of control over reproduction in England's history. It argues that, as a result of post–World War II policy preoccupations, there has been too narrow a focus in the literature on the significance of reductions in marital fertility. In England's case this is conventionally dated to have occurred from 1876, long after the industrial revolution. With a wider angle focus on “reproduction,” the historical evidence for England indicates that family planning began much earlier in the process of economic growth. Using a “compositional demography” approach, a novel social pattern of highly prudential, late marriage can be seen emerging among the bourgeoisie in the course of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. There is also evidence for a more widespread resort to such prudential marriage throughout the population after 1816. When placed in this context, the reduction in national fertility indexes visible from 1876 can be seen as only a further phase, not a revolution, in the population's management of its reproduction.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Szreter & Eilidh Garrett, 2000. "Reproduction, Compositional Demography, and Economic Growth: Family Planning in England Long Before the Fertility Decline," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 26(1), pages 45-80, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:popdev:v:26:y:2000:i:1:p:45-80
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1728-4457.2000.00045.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Hilde Bras & Reto Schumacher, 2019. "Changing gender relations, declining fertility? An analysis of childbearing trajectories in 19th-century Netherlands," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 41(30), pages 873-912.
    2. Hill Kulu & Paul Boyle & Gunnar Andersson, 2009. "High Suburban Fertility: Evidence from Four Northern European Countries," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 21(31), pages 915-944.
    3. Hill Kulu & Paul J. Boyle & Gunnar Andersson, 2008. "High suburban fertility: evidence from four Northern European countries," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2008-021, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    4. H. Kulu & P. J. Boyle, 2009. "High Fertility in City Suburbs: Compositional or Contextual Effects?," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 25(2), pages 157-174, May.
    5. Karra, Mahesh & Wilde, Joshua, 2023. "Economic Foundations of Contraceptive Transitions: Theories and a Review of the Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 15889, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Alessandra Gribaldo & Maya D. Judd & David I. Kertzer, 2009. "An Imperfect Contraceptive Society: Fertility and Contraception in Italy," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 35(3), pages 551-584, September.

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