Published February 18, 2026 | Version v1
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Industrious Selection: Survival of the Fittest within a Unified Growth Framework

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  • 1. The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Description

We have developed a unified growth theory aimed at reconciling the various revolutions that occurred in Britain over the past millennium, including the Agricultural Revolution, Structural Transformation, Industrial Revolution, Industrious Revolution, and Demographic Revolution. A key component of our theory is the introduction of the Industrious Selection mechanism, whereby individuals with greater industriousness gradually come to dominate the population composition over time. Through a process of labor-leisure optimization and the income effect on the number of births, Industrious Selection leads to an increase in working hours, intensification of production, and acceleration of the development process. We argue that Industrious Selection is a crucial factor in understanding and explaining British development history, particularly regarding phenomena such as the rise in working days during the Malthusian era when other economic variables were in stasis.

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Cites
Publication: 10.1111/1468-0289.00123. (DOI)
Publication: 10.1017/S1361491600000125. (DOI)
Publication: 10.1017/CHOL9780521820363.005. (DOI)
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