A bioeconomic foundation of the Malthusian equilibrium : body size and population size in the long-run

Arbeitspapier

This paper develops a bioeconomic Malthusian growth model. By integrating recent research on allometric scaling, energy consumption and ontogenetic growth, we provide a model where subsistence consumption is endogenously linked to body size and fertility. The theory admits a unique Malthusian equilibrium in a two-dimensional state space characterized by population density and body size (metabolic rate) of the representative adult. As a result, the analysis allows us to examine the link between human biology, economic productivity, body size, and population size. Off the steady-state we investigate the possibility of cyclical behavior of the size of a population and the size of its representative member over the very long-run. We also demonstrate that a take-o? into sustained growth should be associated with increasing income, population size and body size. The increase in the latter is, however, bounded and can be viewed as convergence to a biologically determined upper limit.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Diskussionsbeitrag ; No. 373

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development ; Health Behavior ; Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
• Subject: Subsistence ; Nutrition ; Metabolism ; Population Growth ; Ontogenetic Growth ; Malthus ; Bevölkerungstheorie ; Ernährung ; Lebensstandard ; Bioökonomik ; Bevölkerungsökonomie ; Demographischer Übergang ; Theorie

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Dalgaard, Carl-Johan ; Strulik, Holger
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät
• (where): Hannover
• (when): 2007

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/27183
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET