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Sociology / Unit 10   Soc 1728 short lesson, about 20 seconds

Demographic Transition Theory

Captions available

The idea

Thompson (1929) and Notestein (1945) described four stages societies pass through while industrializing: high birth/death rates, falling deaths, falling births, then stable low rates.

In practice

Stage 2's death rate falls before its birth rate does, producing that stage's fastest population growth.

Where people slip

The four stages describe a pattern tied to industrialization, not a guarantee every society completes each stage identically.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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