Why does the rate of population growth decline in the face of economic growth? This study shows that growing product variety, along with more expensive children, induce a permanent reduction in the demand for children, and a continuous rise in income and consumption.

The adoption of agriculture during the Neolithic triggered the first demographic explosion in history. When fertility returned to its original level, early farmers found themselves more poorly nourished than hunter-gatherers and working longer hours to make ends meet. We develop a dynamic,...