Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/177730 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2018
Series/Report no.: 
Darmstadt Discussion Papers in Economics No. 232
Publisher: 
Technische Universität Darmstadt, Department of Law and Economics, Darmstadt
Abstract: 
In spite of two centuries of extensive debate, a consistent framework of the classical theory of population on which economists can universally agree has not been established. This means that either the theory lacks consistency or it has been misunderstood in important ways. This paper attempts to settle this issue by arguing that the latter was the case, revealing prevailing misconceptions. Since a large amount of these misconceptions most probably arose from the lack of a consistent nomenclature, the paper intends to clarify the classical theory of population by employing unambiguous definitions of the principle of population, the Malthusian trap, positive checks and preventive checks to population. The classical theory of population can then be applied to analyze the transition from economic stagnation to economic growth. As a result, numerous current theories trying to explain the transition to growth that are based on an increase of production will prove secondary when compared to the great preventive check.
Subjects: 
Demographic Transition
Malthusian Trap
Unified Growth Theory
Classical Growth Theory
Positive Checks
Preventive Checks
JEL: 
B12
J1
N3
O11
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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