Advances in evolutionary theories (the Extended Synthesis) demonstrate that organisms systematically modify environments in ways that influence their own and other species’ evolution. This paper utilizes these theories to examine the economic consequences of human dispersal from Africa. Evidence shows that early humans’ dispersal affected the adaptability of animal species to human environments and, through this, the extinction of large mammals during Homo sapiens’ out-of-Africa migration. Empirical analyses explore the variation in extinction rates as a source of exogenous pressure for cooperation and innovation among hunter–gatherers and examine the impact of extinction on long-run development. The results indicate that extinction affects economic performance by driving continental differences in biogeography, disease environments, and institutions. Eurasia’s location along the out-of-Africa migratory path provided human and animal populations with coevolutionary foundations for domestication and agriculture, which gave Eurasians technological and institutional advantages in comparative development.

中文翻译：

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比较发展的宏观进化起源

进化理论（扩展综合）的进展表明，生物体以影响其自身和其他物种进化的方式系统地改变环境。本文利用这些理论来研究人类从非洲扩散的经济后果。有证据表明，早期人类的扩散影响了动物物种对人类环境的适应性，并因此影响了智人走出非洲迁徙期间大型哺乳动物的灭绝。实证分析探讨了灭绝率的变化作为狩猎采集者之间合作和创新的外生压力的来源，并研究了灭绝对长期发展的影响。结果表明，灭绝通过推动大陆生物地理、疾病环境和制度的差异来影响经济表现。欧亚大陆位于走出非洲的迁徙路径上，为人类和动物种群提供了驯化和农业的共同进化基础，这使欧亚大陆在比较发展中具有技术和制度优势。