Regional perspective on the relation between urban and demographic transitions in 19th century France and Belgium

Philippe Bocquier, Université Catholique de Louvain
Sandra Bree, Université Catholique de Louvain

This communication is an extension of a paper under revision that reconsiders the relationship between demographic ("vital") transition and urban transition by identifying the migration component of urban transition, accounting for the often neglected reclassification effect. Using 19th and 20th centuries' series on Sweden and Belgium, that paper concluded that migration effect on urban transition doubles that of natural movements. The communication extends the analysis of the components of urban transition to France over the 19th century, and will adopt a regional perspective for French counties (about 80 "départements") and Belgium provinces (9). This macro-spatial analysis is meant to link natural and migration movements with urban economic components and changes that occurred in these different regions along the 19th century. To that effect, the paper makes use of a classification of industries based on two surveys conducted in 1841-1845 and 1861-1865 (Kergoat 1989).