Demo-Economic Models: From Theoretical Framework to Empirical Practice

Abstract

The relationship between demography and economics has long been explored through theoretical models that seek to explain growth and development dynamics. From the early approaches of Harrod and Domar to Solow’s neoclassical formulation and the demographic structure analysis of Coale and Hoover, demo-economic thought has evolved through various historical and methodological contexts. Despite the abundance of these contributions taken separately, the existing literature offers no structured synthesis linking, within a single analytical framework, classical growth models, age-structured demo-economic models, and recent empirical extensions.

To address this scientific gap, this article offers a narrative examination of this evolution, of a historiographical and typological nature, highlighting the shift from purely theoretical modeling to more empirical and pragmatic approaches drawing on a reasoned selection of foundational contributions and representative empirical extensions.

This comparative reading highlights the gradual shift from demography treated as an exogenous factor to demography more closely articulated with human capital, a shift of the theoretical center of gravity toward empirical and pragmatic approaches, and the growing importance of institutions in interpreting the demographic effects on growth.

Without applying the models to a specific population, this study seeks to outline the contributions, limitations, and continuities linking foundational theories with modern perspectives in demo-economic research, offering a structured framework for future work.

JEL Classification: C51, J11, O47

Paper type: Theoretical Research