Can Internal Migration Foster the Convergence in Regional Fertility Rates? Evidence from 19th Century France

Dados Bibliográficos

ID9718700
AutoresGuillaume Daudin (0000-0001-9698-4750, Université Paris-Dauphine, Université PSL, IRD, LEDa, DIAL, SciencesPo and OFCE), Robert Franck (0000-0003-2068-0958, Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Raphaël Franck (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), Hillel Rapoport (0000-0003-0827-624X, Paris School of Economics, University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Institut Convergences Migrations & CEPII)
Ano2019
Volume129
Fascículo620
Páginas1618-1692
Data de publicação2019-05-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Economic Journal (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0013-0133 • E-ISSN: 1468-0297
EditoraOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/ecoj.12623
OpenAlexW2807499339
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas19
Referências citadas91

This article offers an explanation for the convergence of fertility rates across French départements in the second half of the 19th century that emphasises the diffusion of information through internal migration. It tests how migration affected fertility by building a decennial bilateral migration matrix between French départements for 1861–911. The identification strategy uses exogenous variation in transportation costs resulting from the construction of railways. The results suggest that the convergence towards low birth rates can be explained by the diffusion of cultural and economic information pertaining to low-fertility behaviour by migrants, especially by migrants to and from Paris

Convergence (economics · Demographic economics · Developing country · Development economics · Diffusion · Economic geography · Economic growth · Economics · Fertility · Geography · Internal migration · Late 19th century · Period (music · Population · Sociology · Culture, Economy, and Development Studies · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Demography · Historical Economic and Social Studies