Demographic Pressure, Growth and Productivity in an Historical Perspective

Abstract

Estimates of historical growth rates in the countries which are now industrialised have been made by Kuznets. Table 2.1, which is a rearrangement of Kuznets’ material, shows estimates for long-term growth rates within the period 1840–1960 for fourteen countries. Typical growth rates for total national product in this period were between 2 and 3 per cent annually in Europe, but over 4 per cent in North America. The higher growth rates in North America went together with much higher rates of population growth than those of Europe. In fact, rates of per capita growth seem to have been similar in the two areas, but since population growth was much more rapid in North America, total American output increased much more rapidly than that of Europe.