This paper investigates the relationships between urbanization and long-term economic growth in the pre-industrial world. To this end, we compiled a novel dataset collecting all currently available data on urban and rural populations in an Italian pre-unification state, the Republic of Genoa. Data show the paradoxical coexistence of high urbanization levels with cyclical Malthusian stagnations. Putting together empirical results and historical evidence, we interpreted this puzzle, highlighting how a high degree of urbanization could be the consequence of widespread poverty, rather than a measure of rising standards of living. To describe this phenomenon, we coined the term “Malthusian urbanization”.

中文翻译：

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“马尔萨斯城市化”的悖论：1300-1800 年热那亚共和国没有增长的城市化

本文研究了前工业时代城市化与长期经济增长之间的关系。为此，我们编制了一个新的数据集，收集了意大利统一前的热那亚共和国目前所有可用的城市和农村人口数据。数据显示，高城市化水平与周期性马尔萨斯停滞矛盾并存。结合经验结果和历史证据，我们解释了这个难题，强调高度城市化如何可能是普遍贫困的结果，而不是衡量生活水平提高的指标。为了描述这种现象，我们创造了“马尔萨斯城市化”一词。