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Family size and intergenerational social mobility during the fertility transition: evidence of resource dilution from the city of Antwerp in nineteenth century Belgium

Jan Van Bavel, Sarah Moreels, Koen Matthijs and Bart Van de Putte (UGent)
(2011) DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH. 24. p.313-343
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Abstract
It has been argued in sociology, economics, and evolutionary anthropology that family size limitation enhances the intergenerational upward mobility chances in modernized societies. If parents have a large flock, family resources get diluted and intergenerational mobility is bound to head downwards. Yet, the empirical record supporting this resource dilution hypothesis is limited. This article investigates the empirical association between family size limitation and intergenerational mobility in an urban, late nineteenth century population in Western Europe. It uses life course data from the Belgian city of Antwerp between 1846 and 1920. Findings are consistent with the resource dilution hypothesis: after controlling for confounding factors, people with many children were more likely to end up in the lower classes. Yet, family size limitation was effective as a defensive rather than an offensive strategy: it prevented the next generation from going down rather than helping them to climb up the social ladder. Also, family size appears to have been particularly relevant for the middle classes. Implications for demographic transition theory are discussed.
Keywords
ENGLAND

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MLA
Van Bavel, Jan, et al. “Family Size and Intergenerational Social Mobility during the Fertility Transition: Evidence of Resource Dilution from the City of Antwerp in Nineteenth Century Belgium.” DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH, vol. 24, 2011, pp. 313–43, doi:10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.14.
APA
Van Bavel, J., Moreels, S., Matthijs, K., & Van de Putte, B. (2011). Family size and intergenerational social mobility during the fertility transition: evidence of resource dilution from the city of Antwerp in nineteenth century Belgium. DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH, 24, 313–343. https://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.14
Chicago author-date
Van Bavel, Jan, Sarah Moreels, Koen Matthijs, and Bart Van de Putte. 2011. “Family Size and Intergenerational Social Mobility during the Fertility Transition: Evidence of Resource Dilution from the City of Antwerp in Nineteenth Century Belgium.” DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH 24: 313–43. https://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.14.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Van Bavel, Jan, Sarah Moreels, Koen Matthijs, and Bart Van de Putte. 2011. “Family Size and Intergenerational Social Mobility during the Fertility Transition: Evidence of Resource Dilution from the City of Antwerp in Nineteenth Century Belgium.” DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH 24: 313–343. doi:10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.14.
Vancouver
1.
Van Bavel J, Moreels S, Matthijs K, Van de Putte B. Family size and intergenerational social mobility during the fertility transition: evidence of resource dilution from the city of Antwerp in nineteenth century Belgium. DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH. 2011;24:313–43.
IEEE
[1]
J. Van Bavel, S. Moreels, K. Matthijs, and B. Van de Putte, “Family size and intergenerational social mobility during the fertility transition: evidence of resource dilution from the city of Antwerp in nineteenth century Belgium,” DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH, vol. 24, pp. 313–343, 2011.
@article{2084166,
  abstract     = {{It has been argued in sociology, economics, and evolutionary anthropology that family size limitation enhances the intergenerational upward mobility chances in modernized societies. If parents have a large flock, family resources get diluted and intergenerational mobility is bound to head downwards. Yet, the empirical record supporting this resource dilution hypothesis is limited. This article investigates the empirical association between family size limitation and intergenerational mobility in an urban, late nineteenth century population in Western Europe. It uses life course data from the Belgian city of Antwerp between 1846 and 1920. Findings are consistent with the resource dilution hypothesis: after controlling for confounding factors, people with many children were more likely to end up in the lower classes. Yet, family size limitation was effective as a defensive rather than an offensive strategy: it prevented the next generation from going down rather than helping them to climb up the social ladder. Also, family size appears to have been particularly relevant for the middle classes. Implications for demographic transition theory are discussed.}},
  author       = {{Van Bavel, Jan and Moreels, Sarah and Matthijs, Koen and Van de Putte, Bart}},
  issn         = {{1435-9871}},
  journal      = {{DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH}},
  keywords     = {{ENGLAND}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{313--343}},
  title        = {{Family size and intergenerational social mobility during the fertility transition: evidence of resource dilution from the city of Antwerp in nineteenth century Belgium}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.4054/DemRes.2011.24.14}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}
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