Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP17160
Authors: Raphael Franck; Oded Galor; Omer Moav; Mer Zak
Abstract: This research explores the persistent effect of the Neolithic Revolution on the evolution of life expectancy in the course of human history. It advances the hypothesis and establishes empirically that the onset of the Neolithic Revolution and the associated rise in infectious diseases triggered a process of adaptation reducing mortality from infectious diseases while increasing the propensity for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Exploiting an exogenous source of variation in the timing of the Neolithic Revolution across French regions, the analysis establishes the presence of these conflicting forces - the beneficial effects on life expectancy before the second epidemiological transition and their adverse effects thereafter.
Keywords: life expectancy; health; mortality; neolithic revolution; epidemiological transition; infectious disease; autoimmune disease; diabetes; Crohn's disease; HIV; COVID-19
JEL Codes: I10; I15; J10; N00; N30; O10; O33; Z10
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| neolithic revolution (B15) | life expectancy (pre-second epidemiological transition) (J17) |
| neolithic revolution (B15) | life expectancy (post-second epidemiological transition) (J11) |
| neolithic revolution (B15) | autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (I12) |
| life expectancy (pre-second epidemiological transition) (J17) | mortality from infectious diseases (I12) |
| life expectancy (post-second epidemiological transition) (J11) | autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (I12) |