Bienestar biológico y crecimiento agrario en la Cataluña rural, 1840-1936

This article explores the relationship between biological welfare and agrarian growth in western Catalonia between mid-nineteenth century and the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Using average height data for the male cohorts born between 1840 and 1936, it shows that heights remained stagnant during the second half of the 19th century. This stagnation took place in a context of important agrarian changes but modest land productivity improvements. On the contrary, male heights substantially grew in Western Catalonia over the first third of the 20th century, coinciding with the rise of agrarian productivity. These findings may help to a better understanding on the links between human welfare, standard of living, and economic growth in rural societies.