tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post9162138945323700302..comments2024-03-28T15:33:17.736-05:00Comments on Bayou Renaissance Man: Did a plague produce an unexpected social benefit?Peterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-34474723160785888092015-06-29T12:57:27.168-05:002015-06-29T12:57:27.168-05:00It is true - in Western Europe. Once you get east ...It is true - in Western Europe. Once you get east of the Elbe, then things post-Plague get worse, because the reduction in population contributed to the intensification of serfdom (much as happened after the 30-Years-War. <br /><br />LittleRed1Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-14337576142039463532015-06-28T15:34:43.761-05:002015-06-28T15:34:43.761-05:00I'll be more interested in the theory when it ...I'll be more interested in the theory when it is endorsed by economists. The idea that with less people it is easier to find a job makes no sense economically. If you reduce a population, you reduce the numbers of jobs at a similar rate because jobs are there to serve the needs of the people who are there. With fewer people there are fewer needs to fill. <br /><br />More leisure time generally comes from an increase in productivity, and larger populations are generally more productive because they allow for more specialization. There may have been some effects from accumulated wealth spread out among fewer people (accumulated wealth is long-term things like buildings and cleared farm land) but I don't see how that could have the enduring effects that we see in the steadily improving human condition through that period.<br /><br />This kind of analysis is popular among Malthusians. I don't put much stock in it.<br />Doc Rampagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16219747495711517489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-26076746346350466542015-06-27T11:25:37.120-05:002015-06-27T11:25:37.120-05:00Nothing new about the ancient plague ultimately re...Nothing new about the ancient plague ultimately resulting in great improvements - I learned about that back in the late Sixties.Duke of URLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-65389695728459699782015-06-27T01:06:04.913-05:002015-06-27T01:06:04.913-05:00Peter, totally off-topic. I wrote reviews of '...Peter, totally off-topic. I wrote reviews of 'War To The Knife' and "Forge a New Blade" today, and posted it on My Facebook page, Sarah's Diner, Amazon, and Mad Genius Club. Are you particular friends with any body I could post on? When I'm doing my Hugo run-up, I add a link to people involved, usually Tom Kratman, Brad Torgersen (before he deployed) Larry Corriea, and Mad Mike Williamson.<br />I wonder if Castalia House has a forum for book reviews.Habakkuk21https://www.blogger.com/profile/11928724752057162332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-48144671450797746002015-06-26T23:52:27.058-05:002015-06-26T23:52:27.058-05:00There's more than a few greenies who're qu...There's more than a few greenies who're quite certain the only thing we need to make heaven on earth is for 99% of the world's population to just sit down somewhere and die quietly.<br /><br />Of course, they're not in that 99%. They're special.Coconutnoreply@blogger.com