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THE PHYSICAL STATURE OF MEN IN 19TH-CENTURY CHILE: ANOTHER CASE OF STAGNATION DURING AN EXPORT BOOM
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 December 2018
Abstract
This article provides the first series of adult male height for 19th-century Chile. Our aim was not only to assess the trends indicated by height during this period, but also the relationship between stature and both GDP per capita and exports. Having analysed our data, our primary conclusion is that there was a reduction in height for cohorts born in the 1850s and 1860s with respect to cohorts born between 1820 and 1840. Height stagnated thereafter, with small to no improvement towards the end of the 19th century, in line with other Latin American countries for which there is comparable evidence. The increase in per capita GDP and exports during the second half of the century did not result in better biological welfare, as was the case in other Latin American countries during similar export booms.
Resumen
Este artículo entrega las primeras series de estatura en adultos hombres para Chile en el siglo XIX. Nuestro objetivo fue analizar las tendencias mostradas por este indicador durante este periodo, así como su relación con el PIB per cápita y las exportaciones. Habiendo analizado nuestros datos, nuestras conclusiones principales son las siguientes: hubo una reducción en la estatura para los nacidos en las décadas de 1850 y 1860, con respecto a los nacidos en 1820–1849. Posteriormente, la estatura se estancó, un resultado en línea con lo que ocurrió en otros países latinoamericanos para los que existe evidencia. El aumento en las exportaciones y el producto per cápita de la segunda mitad del siglo XIX no se tradujo en un mejor bienestar biológico en Chile, y lo mismo habría ocurrido en otros países latinoamericanos durante similares booms exportadores.
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- Articles/Artículos
- Information
- Revista de Historia Economica - Journal of Iberian and Latin American Economic History , Volume 37 , Issue 2 , September 2019 , pp. 239 - 270
- Copyright
- Copyright © Instituto Figuerola, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 2018
Footnotes
Department of Economics. manuel.llorca@usach.cl
CIHEAP-FAE. juandonm@gmail.com
CIHEAP-FAE. roberto.arayav@usach.cl
Department of Economics. federico.droller@usach.cl
References
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