Pre-Famine Demographics: Difference between revisions
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In the late eighteenth century, Ireland began to experience historic rates of population growth. These rates soared for nearly half a century and by 1820, Ireland had the greatest population density of any western European country (Adams, 56, 1932). It is known that population growth occurs through some combination of positive net immigration, low mortality and high fertility. Throughout the years, research has explored which of these factors led to Ireland’s pre-Famine population boom, and several theories have been suggested. For instance, Timothy Guinnane asserts that high fertility accounts for the significant increase in Irish population. Because Ireland did not experience positive net immigration at the time of the boom, this factor did not play a role in the increase. Also, death rates were not extraordinarily low, which eliminates this feature from the explanation as well. In light of the way in which population growth occurs, Guinnane therefore asserts that it was high fertility that was responsible for the rise in Irish population. | |||
William Adams also proposes that Ireland’s extraordinarily high birth rates during the late 1700’s and early 1800’s were responsible for creating a population boom. Adams contends that the most important cause of high fertility was the rise of small tillage farms in the 1780’s (Adams, 4, 1932). He explains how new farmers often lacked sufficient funds to pay money wages to their laborers so gave them land instead. The possession of land, increased employment, periodic higher wages, and the lack of education to advance their careers and thus increase their living standards are factors that encouraged new landholders to marry at younger ages. Adams asserts that these earlier unions caused high rates of birth, which contributed significantly to Ireland’s early 19th century population growth. | |||
A crucial factor limiting the exploration of Ireland’s population growth is the scarce available evidence on pre-Famine fertility (Guinnane, 84, 1997). Historian Kenneth Connell asserts that younger marriages along with a lack of birth control usage resulted in high fertility rates. Although this view was widely accepted for many years, recent historians have found that Connell’s evidence was based on unreliable sources that led to exaggerated data (Guinnane, 87, 1997). Some historians suggest that the source of high fertility was a desire by the Irish for large families, while others have considered the way in which the Irish viewed children as providing insurance and old age support for the poor. Although many interpretations have been proposed, the lack of reliable data makes it difficult to conclude with any certainty why marital fertility was so high in early nineteenth century Ireland. | |||
==<font color=purple>''Emigration''</font>== | ==<font color=purple>''Emigration''</font>== | ||
Revision as of 20:30, 29 November 2007
Marriage and Fertility
In the late eighteenth century, Ireland began to experience historic rates of population growth. These rates soared for nearly half a century and by 1820, Ireland had the greatest population density of any western European country (Adams, 56, 1932). It is known that population growth occurs through some combination of positive net immigration, low mortality and high fertility. Throughout the years, research has explored which of these factors led to Ireland’s pre-Famine population boom, and several theories have been suggested. For instance, Timothy Guinnane asserts that high fertility accounts for the significant increase in Irish population. Because Ireland did not experience positive net immigration at the time of the boom, this factor did not play a role in the increase. Also, death rates were not extraordinarily low, which eliminates this feature from the explanation as well. In light of the way in which population growth occurs, Guinnane therefore asserts that it was high fertility that was responsible for the rise in Irish population. William Adams also proposes that Ireland’s extraordinarily high birth rates during the late 1700’s and early 1800’s were responsible for creating a population boom. Adams contends that the most important cause of high fertility was the rise of small tillage farms in the 1780’s (Adams, 4, 1932). He explains how new farmers often lacked sufficient funds to pay money wages to their laborers so gave them land instead. The possession of land, increased employment, periodic higher wages, and the lack of education to advance their careers and thus increase their living standards are factors that encouraged new landholders to marry at younger ages. Adams asserts that these earlier unions caused high rates of birth, which contributed significantly to Ireland’s early 19th century population growth. A crucial factor limiting the exploration of Ireland’s population growth is the scarce available evidence on pre-Famine fertility (Guinnane, 84, 1997). Historian Kenneth Connell asserts that younger marriages along with a lack of birth control usage resulted in high fertility rates. Although this view was widely accepted for many years, recent historians have found that Connell’s evidence was based on unreliable sources that led to exaggerated data (Guinnane, 87, 1997). Some historians suggest that the source of high fertility was a desire by the Irish for large families, while others have considered the way in which the Irish viewed children as providing insurance and old age support for the poor. Although many interpretations have been proposed, the lack of reliable data makes it difficult to conclude with any certainty why marital fertility was so high in early nineteenth century Ireland.
Emigration
