The development and inequality of heights in North, West, and East India 1915-1944
The development and inequality of heights in North, West, and East India 1915-1944
In this study, we trace the development of height and its distribution in India during 1915–1944. Heights of North, West, and East Indians grew very slowly. Although for this period it has been argued that income inequality declined, we reject our working hypothesis that height inequality declined in parallel with income inequality. In fact, height differences were low during the influenza/famine period of 1918–1920, and the Great Depression period. With the growing openness of the late 1920s, we observe a temporary rise in height inequality. The overall level of height inequality is lower than expected for Indian society that is influenced by a rigid caste system.
stature, heights, biological welfare, india, great depression, inequality, influenza, caste, real wages
578-608
Guntupalli, Aravinda Meera
6ab00497-f86b-4bec-b393-c35a0c1054c9
Baten, Joerg
775dd62e-006f-43a0-a6f1-6623dc5e6ed1
October 2006
Guntupalli, Aravinda Meera
6ab00497-f86b-4bec-b393-c35a0c1054c9
Baten, Joerg
775dd62e-006f-43a0-a6f1-6623dc5e6ed1
Guntupalli, Aravinda Meera and Baten, Joerg
(2006)
The development and inequality of heights in North, West, and East India 1915-1944.
Explorations in Economic History, 43 (4), .
(doi:10.1016/j.eeh.2005.05.005).
Abstract
In this study, we trace the development of height and its distribution in India during 1915–1944. Heights of North, West, and East Indians grew very slowly. Although for this period it has been argued that income inequality declined, we reject our working hypothesis that height inequality declined in parallel with income inequality. In fact, height differences were low during the influenza/famine period of 1918–1920, and the Great Depression period. With the growing openness of the late 1920s, we observe a temporary rise in height inequality. The overall level of height inequality is lower than expected for Indian society that is influenced by a rigid caste system.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: October 2006
Keywords:
stature, heights, biological welfare, india, great depression, inequality, influenza, caste, real wages
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 51838
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/51838
ISSN: 0014-4983
PURE UUID: 27f6e08d-4e56-4446-b644-c73af013c7af
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 03 Jun 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 10:19
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Aravinda Meera Guntupalli
Author:
Joerg Baten
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics