Abstract

Growth theory can go a long way toward accounting for phenomena linked with U.S. economic development. Some examples are:

(i) the secular decline in fertility between 1800 and 1980,

(ii) the decline in agricultural employment and the rise in skill since 1800,

(iii) the demise of child labor starting around 1900,

(iv) the increase in female labor-force participation from 1900 to 1980,

(v) the baby boom from 1936 to 1972.

Growth theory models are presented to address all of these facts. The analysis empha­sizes the role of technological progress as a catalyst for economic transformation.

Keywords

child labor, economic growth, educational attainment, female labor-force participation, fertility, household production theory, technological progress

JEL classification: D1, E1, J1, O3

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