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Decline and Stagnation in the Arab World: Preliminary Real Wage Evidence Comparing Algeria, Egypt, Syria and Tunisia, 1847–1913

In: Research in Economic History

Author

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  • Paul Caruana-Galizia

Abstract

This paper constructs real wage series for nineteenth-century Algeria and Tunisia, and compares them with existing Egyptian and Syrian series. Archival sources are used for price and nominal wage data. Following Allen (2001), nominal wages are deflated with a consumer price index. The series are tested for robustness. Real wages were initially dispersed, but converged to similar levels by the end of the period. There is no evidence of a broad-based improvement in living standards over the period, with real wage series declining in Algeria, and stagnating in Egypt, Tunisia and Syria. The findings paint a less optimistic picture of living standards compared to other measures like GDP per capita and compared to some of the historical literature. Data for the Maghreb are scarce, and more work will need to be done on finding more wage and price observations.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Caruana-Galizia, 2015. "Decline and Stagnation in the Arab World: Preliminary Real Wage Evidence Comparing Algeria, Egypt, Syria and Tunisia, 1847–1913," Research in Economic History, in: Research in Economic History, volume 31, pages 1-40, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:rehizz:s0363-326820150000031001
    DOI: 10.1108/S0363-326820150000031001
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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Caruana-Galizia, 2015. "Strategic colonies and economic development: real wages in Cyprus, Gibraltar, and Malta, 1836–1913," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 68(4), pages 1250-1276, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Real wages; Arab world; Maghreb; colonial; living standards; N3; J3; N35; N15;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
    • N35 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Asia including Middle East
    • N15 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Asia including Middle East

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