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A contribution to the theory of fertility and economic development

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  • Gori, Luca
  • Sodini, Mauro

Abstract

The aim of this research is to build on a theory for explaining economic development in a (neoclassical) growth model with endogenous fertility. The economy is comprised of overlapping generations of rational and identical individuals and identical competitive firms producing with a constant-returns-to-scale technology with no externalities. From a theoretical perspective, the distinguishing feature of this work is that endogenous fertility per se is able to explain the existence of low and high development regimes. It provides alternative reasons (history driven or expectations driven) why some countries enter development trajectories with high GDP and low fertility and others experience under-performances with low GDP and high fertility. The model is also able to reproduce fertility fluctuations and explain the baby busts and baby booms observed in the last century in some developed countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Gori, Luca & Sodini, Mauro, 2018. "A contribution to the theory of fertility and economic development," GLO Discussion Paper Series 170, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:glodps:170
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    2. Kawalec Paweł, 2020. "The dynamics of theories of economic growth: An impact of Unified Growth Theory," Economics and Business Review, Sciendo, vol. 6(2), pages 19-44, June.
    3. Spataro, Luca & Fanti, Luciano & Pacini, Pier Mario, 2019. "Saving, fertility and public policy in an overlapping generations small open economy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 16-29.
    4. Gori, Luca & Manfredi, Piero & Sodini, Mauro, 2021. "A Parsimonious Model Of Longevity, Fertility, Hiv Transmission And Development," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(5), pages 1155-1174, July.
    5. Muhammad Qasim & Zahid Pervaiz & Amatul Razzaq Chaudhary, 2020. "Do Poverty and Income Inequality Mediate the Association Between Agricultural Land Inequality and Human Development?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 151(1), pages 115-134, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic development; Endogenous fertility; Local and global indeterminacy; OLG model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • C62 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Existence and Stability Conditions of Equilibrium
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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