A Quantitative Analysis of Swedish Fertility Dynamics: 1751-1990

Zvi Eckstein*, Pedro Mira, Kenneth I. Wolpin

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper analyzes the relationship between age-specific fertility, mortality, and real wages in Sweden during the demographic transition. We fit a model of life-cycle fertility to two and a half centuries of Swedish time-series data. The model fits the data well, accurately portraying the total fertility decline from more than four children per female before the mid-nineteenth century to about two children today. About 80% of this decline was in fertility at female ages over 30. The fitted model implies that reduction in child mortality is the most important factor explaining the fertility decline.Journal of Economic LiteratureClassification Numbers: I21, J11, N30.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)137-165
Number of pages29
JournalReview of Economic Dynamics
Volume2
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1999

Funding

FundersFunder number
DGESPB 96-0134
National Science Foundation

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