Title

Differential Fertility, Human Capital, and Development

Author(s)

Tom S. Vogl Tom Vogl (Princeton University and NBER)

Abstract

Using micro-data from 48 developing countries, I document a recent reversal in the income-fertility relationship and its aggregate implications. Before 1960, children from larger families had richer parents and obtained more education. By century’s end, both patterns had reversed. Consequently, income differentials in fertility historically raised average education but now reduce it. While the reversal is unrelated to changes in GDP, women’s work, sectoral composition, or health, half is attributable to rising aggregate education in the parents’ generation. The results support a model in which rising skill returns lowered the minimum income at which parents invest in education.

Creation Date

2013-07

Section URL ID

Paper Number

July2013-2

URL

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwjFN4HbBrDBU2x0Z0RyMlNKODQ/view?pref=2&pli=1

File Function

Jel

E24, I25, J10, O10

Keyword(s)

Suppress

false

Series

9