Health and Prosperity - by Fabrice Murtin (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Murtin examines the long-term causes of health improvements over the last two centuries. Focusing on the relative importance of income and education, Murtin finds that education alone accounts for the bulk of health improvements since 1870, and explains the strong correlation between longevity and income, which is highly correlated with education. Conversely, the book shows that progress in longevity has had dramatic consequences on societies, as it reduced fertility, triggered the spread of education, spurred economic growth, and improved 'prosperity' in a way that is comparable to the long-term rise in income. Health and Prosperity sheds light on the real cost of health systems in the 21st century"--

Book Synopsis

Murtin examines the long-term causes of health improvements over the last two centuries. Focusing on the relative importance of income and education, Murtin finds that education alone accounts for the bulk of health improvements since 1870, and explains the strong correlation between longevity and income, which is highly correlated with education. Conversely, the book shows that progress in longevity has had dramatic consequences on societies, as it reduced fertility, triggered the spread of education, spurred economic growth, and improved 'prosperity' in a way that is comparable to the long-term rise in income. Health and Prosperity sheds light on the real cost of health systems in the 21st century.

Review Quotes

'A great and timely contribution to our better understanding of the spectacular transition toward long and healthy lives and of its implications for productivity and well-being.' Marc Fleurbaey, Robert E. Kuenne Professor, Princeton University, USA

'This book is a must read for any scholar or policy maker interested in growth and development.' Philippe Aghion, Harvard University, USA

'Building on a wealth of new data and evidences, the book demonstrates, against the skeptics, that progress in health has played a critical causal role on economic development at large.' Daniel Cohen, Professor of Economics, Ecole normale supérieure and Paris School of Economics, France

'Murtin's book offers a clear, concise, and yet rather exhaustive view of the relationship between health and development, its major contribution probably being the evidence it provides on the key role of education in that relationship.' François Bourguignon, former World Bank Chief Economist

About the Author

Fabrice Murtin is an economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Associate Researcher at Sciences-Po Paris, France. His research focuses on the historical determinants of economic development and has been published in many academic journals such as the Journal of Economic Growth, the Review of Economics and Statistics, Economic Policy, European Economic Review, the Journal of Human Capital and the Journal of Economic Inequality.