Chapter 5: Demography

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards designed to help students review key demographic concepts and theories.

Fertility Rate

The average number of children a woman would have in her lifetime.

GDP per Capita

A measure of a country's economic output that accounts for its number of people.

Malthusian Trap

A situation where population growth outpaces agricultural production, leading to famine and poverty.

Reproductive Transition

The process by which a society changes from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates.

Demographics

The statistical characteristics of human populations used for understanding population dynamics.

Negative Correlation

A relationship between two variables in which one variable increases as the other decreases.

Population Density

The number of people living per unit of area, typically measured in square kilometers.

The Black Death

A devastating pandemic that affected Europe in the 14th century, leading to significant population decline.

Real Wages

Wages that have been adjusted for inflation, reflecting the purchasing power of income.

Institutional Change

Changes in the structures of governance that can influence economic performance and social relationships.

European Marriage Pattern (EMP)

A demographic pattern characterized by later marriage and lower fertility rates in Western Europe.

Nuclear Families

Family units consisting of two parents and their children.

Pastoral Agriculture

A form of farming that involves raising livestock, which became prominent in parts of Europe.

Human Capital

The knowledge, skills, and experiences possessed by individuals that can be used for economic value.

Illegitimacy

Children born to parents who are not legally married at the time of birth.

Demographic Equilibrium

A state in which the population remains stable, with births equaling deaths over time.

Neo-Malthusianism

A theory that extends Malthusian principles, advocating for population control to prevent resource depletion.

Age Dependency Ratio

A ratio comparing the working-age population to the non-working-age population (youth and elderly).

Economic Growth

An increase in the production of goods and services in an economy over time.

Long-run Growth Rate

The sustained rate of economic growth over a prolonged period.

Marginal Product of Labor

The additional output generated by employing one more unit of labor.

Crude Birth Rate

The number of live births per 1,000 people in a year.

Mortality Rates

The frequency of occurrence of death in a given population during a specified interval.

Demographic Shock

A sudden significant change in population size and structure due to events like epidemics.

Per Capita Income

The average income earned per person in a given area in a specified year.

Fertility Restraint

Social strategies to limit the number of children born.

The Statute of Laborers

A law enacted in England in 1349 aimed at regulating labor costs after the Black Death.

Human Capital Investment

Allocating resources towards education and training to enhance the productivity of the workforce.

Technological Development

The introduction and improvement of technology that can enhance productivity and economic output.

Equilibrium Level of Subsistence

A state where population growth is limited by the available resources.

Sustained Innovation

The continuous introduction of new ideas, products, and processes that drive economic growth.

Crude Birth Rate Trends

Patterns indicating changes in birth rates over different historical periods.

Substance Economy

An economic system where the productivity is primarily based on agriculture and resource extraction.

Labor Markets

The supply and demand for labor, where employees offer their work and employers offer wages.

Demographic Transition

The transition from high birth and death rates to lower birth and death rates as a country develops.

Age of First Marriage

The average age at which individuals enter into their first marriage.

Trade and Division of Labor

The distribution of specific work tasks among individuals to increase efficiency and productivity.

Post-Black Death Socio-Economic Shifts

Following the Black Death, Europe experienced a severe labor shortage, leading to increased real wages, improved living standards for peasants and laborers, and institutional changes like the Statute of Laborers aimed at controlling labor costs.

Fall of Feudalism

The decline of the feudal system in Europe, largely accelerated by the Black Death's impact, which caused severe labor shortages, empowering peasants and leading to higher real wages, thereby undermining traditional feudal obligations and fostering new economic and social structures.