Economic condition and demography among the Mahishyas of Chakpota Village, Howrah District, West Bengal
Bharati, P.
Journal of Biosocial Science 13(3): 345-356
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9320 PMID: 7276038 DOI: 10.1017/s0021932000013547Document Number: 385593
Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected from the Hindu, Mahishya caste community of Chakpota village in West Bengal to examine possible effects of economic differences on fertility and mortality, and their potential genetic consequences. The age structure of the low, medium and high economic groups suggests decreasing growth potentials from the former to the latter, with a recent decline in fertility in all 3 groups. Analogously, a trend of fertility and mortality decline from the low to high economic groups seems to exist, although with some exceptions. The index of total selection intensity is the highest in the low economic group. Genetic selection seems to be sensitive even to very small differences in economic condition, sharing very similar physical environmental stresses.