Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP18505
Authors: David Green; Gabriel Geisler Mesevage; Graham Mooney; Simon Szreter
Abstract: We estimate the impact of reductions in poor law expenditure following the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act on rural life expectancy and mortality rates. We find that a 10 per cent decrease in poor law expenditure is associated with roughly a 1.5–2.0 per cent increase in early childhood mortality (ECMR). Our estimates imply 8–10 per cent increases in ECMR and 2–4 per cent falls in rural expectation of life at birth as a result of the spending cuts imposed by the Poor Law Amendment Act. These results help to explain the weak performance of mid-nineteenth century life expectancy measures during a period of rising real wages but falling welfare expenditure.
Keywords: public health; government; social and health spending; UK; economic history
JEL Codes: N33; I18; I38
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Poor law expenditure (H53) | Early childhood mortality rates (ECMR) (J13) |
| Poor law expenditure (H53) | Rural life expectancy at birth (J19) |
| Poor law expenditure (H53) | Health outcomes (I14) |
| Poor law expenditure (H53) | Early childhood mortality rates (ECMR) (J13) |
| Early childhood mortality rates (ECMR) (J13) | Rural life expectancy at birth (J19) |