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===Easterlin Models===

===Easterlin Models===

Richard Easterlin is an economist and professor of economics who has researched and published much literature on economic growth in the United States.  In one of Richard Easterlin’s articles, published in 2000, titled, '''Twentieth Century American Population Growth''', he explains the growth pattern of American population in the twentieth century by examining the fertility rate fluctuations and the decreasing mortality rate.  In his article, Easterlin attempts to prove the cause of the Baby Boom and Baby Bust by the “relative income” theory, despite the various other theories that these events have been attributed to.  The “relative income” theory suggests that couples choose to have children based on a couple’s ratio of potential earning power and the desire to obtain material objects.  This ratio depends on the economic stability of country and how people are raised to value material objects.  The “relative income” theory explains the Baby Boom by suggesting that the late 1940s and 1950s brought low desires to have material objects, because of the Great Depression and WWII, as well as huge job opportunities, because of being a post war period.  These two factors gave rise to a high relative income, which encouraged high fertility.  Following this period, the next generation had a greater desire for material objects, however, an economic slowdown in the United States, made jobs harder to acquire.  This resulted in lower fertility rates causing the Baby Bust.

Richard Easterlin is an economist and professor of economics who has researched and published much literature on economic growth in the United States.  In one of Richard Easterlin’s articles, published in 2000, titled, '''Twentieth Century American Population Growth''', he explains the growth pattern of American population in the twentieth century by examining the fertility rate fluctuations and the decreasing mortality rate.  In his article, Easterlin attempts to prove the cause of the Baby Boom and Baby Bust by the “relative income” theory, despite the various other theories that these events have been attributed to.  The “relative income” theory suggests that couples choose to have children based on a couple’s ratio of potential earning power and the desire to obtain material objects.  This ratio depends on the economic stability of country and how people are raised to value material objects.  The “relative income” theory explains the Baby Boom by suggesting that the late 1940s and 1950s brought low desires to have material objects, because of the Great Depression and WWII, as well as huge job opportunities, because of being a post war period.  These two factors gave rise to a high relative income, which encouraged high fertility.  Following this period, the next generation had a greater desire for material objects, however, an economic slowdown in the United States, made jobs harder to acquire.  This resulted in lower fertility rates causing the Baby Bust.

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==

* Barkan, Elliott Robert. ''From All Points: America's Immigrant West, 1870s-1952,'' (2007) 598 pages

* Barkan, Elliott Robert. ''From All Points: America's Immigrant West, 1870s-1952,'' (2007) 598 pages

* Wells, Robert V. ''Uncle Sam's Family'' (1985), general demographic history

* Wells, Robert V. ''Uncle Sam's Family'' (1985), general demographic history

* Weiss, Jessica. ''To Have and to Hold: Marriage, the Baby Boom, and Social Change'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Have-Hold-Marriage-Social-Change/dp/0226886719/ref=sr_1_9/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194775298&sr=1-9 excerpt  and text search]

* Weiss, Jessica. ''To Have and to Hold: Marriage, the Baby Boom, and Social Change'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Have-Hold-Marriage-Social-Change/dp/0226886719/ref=sr_1_9/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194775298&sr=1-9 excerpt  and text search]

 

[[Category:History]]

[[Category:Economic History]]

[[Category:Demography]]

[[Category:Demography]]