Impacts of demographic catastrophes

Abstract

Analysis of demographic catastrophes shows that, with the exception of perhaps only two critical events, they were too weak to influence the growth of human population. These results reinforce the conclusion that the concept of the Epoch of Malthusian Stagnation, the alleged first stage of growth claimed by the Demographic Transition Theory, is not supported by empirical evidence. They show that even if we assume that Malthusian positive checks are capable of suppressing the growth of population their impact was too weak to create the Epoch of Malthusian Stagnation.