Perceptions of the economics of apprenticeship in Sweden c. 1900

At the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century, apprentice training was frequently debated in Sweden, just as in many other parts of Europe. This study analyses the economic perceptions of apprenticeship in the Swedish debate. Economic theories of apprenticeship, from Becker’s human capital concept to institutional theories, are used as a point of comparison. How the contemporary actors understood the economics of apprenticeship helps us understand the conditions of Swedish post-guild apprenticeship. The analysis reveals similarities between the contemporary description and the economic theories of on-the-job training, as well as historically specific aspects of the perceptions of the economics of apprenticeship. Both in the economic theories and in the turn-of-the-century debate, the problems plaguing apprenticeship tie in to the question of whether or not there was a sufficient level of training from a societal perspective, or if there was underinvestment. This, in turn, leads to the question of the need for state intervention to correct a potential market failure. At the time, the perceived problems of apprenticeship were used as justification for a proposed apprentice law, which was never passed, and limited state financial support for training that was instituted in 1917.