Section 69: European Population Growth, Urbanization, and Migration (1650-1950)

European and World Population Growth Since 1650

• Global Increase: All continents, except Africa, experienced significant population growth in the three centuries following $1650$. This period saw a rise from a world population of approximately $545$ million in $1650$ to $2.532$ billion by $1950$.

• Europe's Dominance: Europe showed the most substantial growth, with its population rising from $100$ million in $1650$ to $547$ million by $1950$. The proportion of Europeans in the world's total (including those of European origin in other continents like the Americas and Australasia) reached its peak between $1850$ and the end of the Second World War ($1939-1945$).

  • In $1850$, the "Predominantly European" areas accounted for $23.1$% of the world's population, peaking at $29.3$% by $1900$ before a slight decline to $28.9$% by $1950$. By $2000$, this proportion had significantly decreased to $17.5$%.

• Population Data Source: Broad estimates for global population trends from $1650$ are available in the detailed tables below, which illustrate both absolute numbers and percentages by continental areas.

Causes of Demographic Growth

Global Factors

• Political Stability:

  • In Europe, the organized sovereign states established primarily after the Peace of Westphalia in $1648$ ended prolonged periods of civil wars (e.g., the Thirty Years' War, $1618-1648$), chronic violence, and marauding. This halted the accompanying insecurity in agriculture and family life, which had been more lethal than inter-governmental wars. The subsequent rise of more centralized states led to better administration and infrastructure.

  • Similar periods of order were seen elsewhere:

    • Japan: The Tokugawa Shogunate ($1600-1868$) maintained peace under a unified feudal government, fostering economic growth and stability.

    • China: The Manchu or Qing dynasty ($1644-1912$) brought an extended period of order, particularly during its early and middle phases (e.g., Kangxi Emperor, $1661-1722$; Qianlong Emperor, $1735-1796$), supporting agricultural expansion.

    • India and Java: British rule in India (consolidated from the mid-$18^{th}$ century following figures like Robert Clive and battles like Plassey in $1757$) and Dutch rule in Java (through the Dutch East India Company, VOC, established in $1602$) significantly reduced the autonomous power of local rulers, curbed internal violence, and alleviated famines through improved administration and infrastructure (though often with economic exploitation).

• Consequences of Stability: These factors allowed more people to live longer by ensuring greater food security, reducing the spread of disease often associated with military campaigns and displacement, and fostering family stability, which often led to increasing birth rates and decreasing death rates. This stability contributed to better public health initiatives over time.

Exceptions to Global Rise

• Africa: The major exception, due to the transatlantic slave trade which forcibly removed over $10$ million people (and an even larger number of potential descendants) over three to four centuries (peaking in the $18^{th}$ century before British abolition in $1807$). Slave raiding severely disrupted African cultures, caused demographic imbalances (e.g., loss of working-age population), and hindered economic and social development. Africa's population only grew from $100$ million in $1650$ to $230$ million by $1950$, a much slower pace than other continents.

• Americas: Native Indian populations were devastated by diseases (to which they had no immunity) brought from Europe, such as smallpox, measles, and influenza. This depopulation began with the arrival of Columbus in $1492$ and continued most severely through the $16^{th}$ and $17^{th}$ centuries, leading to drastic declines in indigenous populations across both North and South America, exemplified by the collapse of the Aztec and Inca empires.

Estimated World Population by Continental Areas (Millions)