Living costs and welfare ratios in Western Europe: new estimates using a linear programming model
利用线性规划模型计算满足营养需求的最小食品成本，重新估算了1600-1850年西欧六个城市的福利比率，发现生活水平低于以往认知，但伦敦仍高于其他城市。
Abstract This study provides new estimates on welfare ratios for London, Amsterdam, Paris, Strasbourg, Munich, and Leipzig for 1600–1850. I use a linear programming model to compute the basket that minimizes the food cost subject to nutrient requirements. For a balanced nutrition, I take into consideration that people should ingest not only calories and proteins, but also fat, iron, and some basic vitamins. The results suggest that living standards in Western Europe were lower than previously thought. However, like previous studies, this article suggests that welfare ratios in London were higher than in other European cities.