The Escape from Hunger and Premature Death, 17002100: Europe, America, and the Third World (Cambridge Studies in Population, Economy and Society in Past Time, Series Number 38)

Nobel laureate Robert Fogel's compelling study, first published in 2004, examines health, nutrition and technology over the last three centuries and beyond. Throughout most of human history, chronic malnutrition has been the norm. During the past three centuries, however, a synergy between improvements in productive technology and in human physiology has enabled humans to more than double their average longevity and to increase their average body size by over 50 per cent. Larger, healthier humans have contributed to the acceleration of economic growth and technological change, resulting in reduced economic inequality, declining hours of work and a corresponding increase in leisure time. Increased longevity has also brought increased demand for health care. Professor Fogel argues that health care should be viewed as the growth industry of the twenty-first century and systems of financing it should be reformed. His book will be essential reading for all those interested in economics, demography, history and health care policy. Nobel laureate Robert Fogel's compelling new study examines health, nutrition and technology from 1700 to 2100. Although throughout most of human history, chronic malnutrition has been the norm, a synergy between improvements in productive technology and human physiology has enabled humans to more than double their average longevity and to increase their body size by over fifty percent over the past three centuries. Larger, healthier humans have contributed to the acceleration of economic growth and technological change, resulting in reduced economic inequality, declining hours of work and a corresponding increase in leisure time. Increased longevity has also brought increased demand for health care. Fogel argues that health care should be viewed as the growth industry of the twenty-first century and systems of financing it should be reformed. His book will be essential reading for all interested in economics, demography, history and health care policy. A professor at the University of Chicago, Robert William Fogel has taught at the University of Rochester, Cambridge University, and Harvard University. He has received numerous awards and prizes for his work, including the Arthur C. Cole Prize (1968), the Schumpeter Prize (1971), the Bancroft Prize (1975), the Gustavus Myers Prize (1990), and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science (1993). Previous books include Without Consent or Contract: The Rise and Fall of American Slavery (W.W. Norton & Company, 1994) and The Fourth Great Awakening and the Future of Egalitarianism (The University of Chicago Press, 2000).

Nobel laureate Robert Fogel examines health, nutrition and technology over the last three centuries.

Foreign Affairs

Fogel, a Nobel Prize-winning economic historian at the University of Chicago, takes a thermodynamic approach: How many calories are available for productive work above those required to maintain basic metabolism? This perspective is useful in considering the history of economic development, since human beings, poorer than now and often near the point of starvation, have historically had much less usable energy than they do now. The average white male is two to four inches taller than he was a century ago and also has greater body mass, greatly increasing his capacity for useful work; better nutrition, health care, and environment have resulted in sharp drops in mortality, disease, and chronic disabling conditions, especially in wealthy countries. Fogel sees these trends continuing well into this century and eventually extending to developing countries such as China. He does not lament the rising share of income devoted to health, which he sees as appropriate as people live longer and devote a smaller share of income to necessities such as food. He does, however, offer constructive suggestions for improving health care delivery in the United States, focusing on reaching the poorer and less-educated segments of the population. They do not include universal health insurance, which has more to do with financing than with delivering quality health care.

Nobel Laureate Robert Fogel's Compelling New Study Examines Health, Nutrition And Technology Over The Last Three Centuries And Beyond. Throughout Most Of Human History, Chronic Malnutrition Has Been The Norm. During The Past Three Centuries, However, A Synergy Between Improvements In Productive Technology And In Human Physiology Has Enabled Humans To More Than Double Their Average Longevity And To Increase Their Average Body Size By Over 50 Per Cent. Larger, Healthier Humans Have Contributed To The Acceleration Of Economic Growth And Technological Change, Resulting In Reduced Economic Inequality, Declining Hours Of Work And A Corresponding Increase In Leisure Time. Increased Longevity Has Also Brought Increased Demand For Health Care. Professor Fogel Argues That Health Care Should Be Viewed As The Growth Industry Of The Twenty-first Century And Systems Of Financing It Should Be Reformed. His Book Will Be Essential Reading For All Those Interested In Economics, Demography, History And Health Care Policy. 1. The Persistence Of Misery In Europe Before 1900 -- 2. Why The Twentieth Century Was So Remarkable -- 3. Tragedies And Miracles In The Third World -- 4. Prospects For The Twenty-first Century -- 5. Problems Of Equity In Health Care -- Postscript : How Long Can We Live? Robert William Fogel. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 155-181) And Index. A compelling new study from Nobel laureate Robert Fogel, examining health, nutrition and technology over the last three centuries and beyond. It will be essential reading for all those interested in economics, demography, history and health care policy The twentieth century saw major improvements in the human condition, not only in the rich countries of the world but also in developing nations.