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War, food rationing, and socioeconomic inequality in G ermany during the F irst W orld W ar
Author(s) -
Blum Matthias
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the economic history review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.014
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1468-0289
pISSN - 0013-0117
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0289.2012.00681.x
Subject(s) - rationing , socioeconomic status , economic shortage , economics , demography , demographic economics , sociology , economic growth , population , health care , linguistics , philosophy , government (linguistics)
Germany experienced a devastating period during the F irst W orld W ar due to severely restricted import possibilities and a general shortage of foodstuffs. This study uses the heights of some 4,000 individuals who served during the S econd W orld W ar to quantify biological living standards from the 1900s to the 1920s, and focuses primarily on socioeconomic inequality during this period. The results suggest that generally the upper social strata, measured by fathers' occupation, exhibited the tallest average height, followed by the middle and lower classes. These socioeconomic differences became more pronounced during the F irst W orld W ar when the rationing system provided a limited food supply. Wealthier individuals were able to purchase additional foodstuffs on black markets. Therefore, children from upper‐class families experienced only a small decline in average height compared to their counterparts from the middle and lower social strata.

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