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Dynamical Feedbacks between Population Growth and Sociopolitical Instability in Agrarian States

Bibliographic Data

ID3063902
AuthorsPeter Turchin (0000-0002-1292-8100, corresponding author)
Year2005
Volume1
Issue1
Publication date2005-09-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueStructure and Dynamics eJournal of Anthropological and Related Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1554-3374 • E-ISSN: 1554-3374
PublisherCalifornia Digital Library (CDL) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.5070/sd911003259
OpenAlexW2765083955
LanguageEN
Citations received23
References cited27

Most preindustrial states experienced recurrent waves of political collapse and internal warfare. One possible explanation of this pattern, the demographic-structural theory, suggests that population growth leads to state instability and breakdown, which in turn causes population decline. Mathematical models incorporating this mechanism predict sustained oscillations in demographic and political dynamics. Here I test these theoretical predictions with time-series data on population dynamics and sociopolitical instability in early modern England, the Han and Tang China, and the Roman Empire. Results suggest that population and instability are dynamically interrelated as predicted by the theory

Agrarian society · Agriculture · China · Development economics · Economics · Geography · Instability · Mechanics · Physics · Political instability · Political science · Politics · Population · Population growth · Sociology · State formation · Culture, Economy, and Development Studies · Demography · Historical Economic and Social Studies

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Unique citing works23
Citations per year1,1
Citation span2005 - 2025 (21)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 23
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