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Population and Economic Growth in Australia: 8,000 BC - AD 1700 Extended to 60,000 BC

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  • Ron W. NIELSEN

    (Griffith University, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Gold Coast Campus, Qld, 4222, Australia.)

Abstract

Data for the number of rock-shelter sites in Australia between 1000 and 10,000 years BP (before present or approximately between 8,000 BC and AD 1000) are analysed. These data were interpreted by Johnson and Brook (2011) as representing the growth of population. Their claim of the Mid-Holocene intensification of the growth of population around 5000 years BP is contradicted by their own data. The puzzle of the Mid-Holocene turning point has been solved: there was no turning point. Their claim of the Mid-Holocene turning point relies on a precise position of a single point in the set of the already inaccurate data. Based on the fitted distribution to the data, the size of human population has been estimated between 8,000 BC and AD 1700 and tentatively extended down to 60,000 BC. The absolute values of the size of population were determined in relation to Maddison’s data between AD 1 and 1700 (Maddison, 2010). Data of Maddison show also that the value of income per capita was constant below AD 1700. Using this information and the fit to the population data, economic growth in Australia was estimated down to 8,000 BC and tentatively extended to 60,000 BC.

Suggested Citation

  • Ron W. NIELSEN, 2017. "Population and Economic Growth in Australia: 8,000 BC - AD 1700 Extended to 60,000 BC," Journal of Economic and Social Thought, KSP Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 41-54, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ksp:journ3:v:4:y:2017:i:1:p:41-54
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oded Galor & Omer Moav, 2002. "Natural Selection and the Origin of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(4), pages 1133-1191.
    2. Oded Galor, 2005. "The Demographic Transition and the Emergence of Sustained Economic Growth," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 3(2-3), pages 494-504, 04/05.
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    5. Ron W. NIELSEN, 2016. "Demographic Transition Theory and Its Link to the Historical Economic Growth," Journal of Economics and Political Economy, KSP Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 32-49, March.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Australia; Population growth; Economic growth; Gross Domestic Product; Hyperbolic growth; Unified Growth Theory; Malthusian stagnation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A10 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - General
    • A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
    • C12 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Hypothesis Testing: General
    • C20 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - General
    • Y80 - Miscellaneous Categories - - Related Disciplines - - - Related Disciplines

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