Dynamics and Stagnation in the Malthusian Epoch
检验了马尔萨斯理论的核心假设，利用公元1-1500年跨国数据发现，技术进步和土地生产力提高显著增加了人口密度，但对生活水平无显著影响。
This paper examines the central hypothesis of the influential Malthusian theory, according to which improvements in the technological environment during the preindustrial era had generated only temporary gains in income per capita, eventually leading to a larger, but not significantly richer, population. Exploiting exogenous sources of cross-country variations in land productivity and the level of technological advancement, the analysis demonstrates that, in accordance with the theory, technological superiority and higher land productivity had significant positive effects on population density but insignificant effects on the standard of living, during the time period 1–1500 CE.