Gregory Clark|Gillian Hamilton
Survival of the Richest: The Malthusian Mechanism in Pre-Industrial England
University of California, Davis|University of Toronto
fundamental malthusian model preindustrial society assumption higher income increased reproductive success despite seemingly inescapable logic model empirical support weak examine link income net fertility using data wills reproductive success social status income england 15851638 find society close malthusian equilibrium wealth robustly predicted reproductive success richest testators left twice many children poorest consequently static economy social mobility predominantly downwards result extends back least 1250 england