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The real urban wage in an agricultural economy without landless farmers: Serbia, 1862–1910

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  • Boško Mijatović
  • Branko Milanović

Abstract

This article presents the first estimates of the welfare ratio for Serbia using nineteenth‐ and early twentieth‐century data on the wages of skilled and unskilled workers (including the part paid in kind) and the prices of goods in ‘subsistence’ and ‘respectability’ consumption baskets. It finds stagnation in the unskilled wage, and a modest increase in the skilled wage. The article introduces several adjustments to conventional methodology in order to make it more relevant for predominantly agricultural societies.

Suggested Citation

  • Boško Mijatović & Branko Milanović, 2021. "The real urban wage in an agricultural economy without landless farmers: Serbia, 1862–1910," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 74(2), pages 424-448, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ehsrev:v:74:y:2021:i:2:p:424-448
    DOI: 10.1111/ehr.12998
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    Cited by:

    1. Giovanni Federico & Alessandro Nuvolari & Michelangelo Vasta, 2023. "Inequality in Pre‐Industrial Europe (1260–1850): New Evidence From the Labor Share," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(2), pages 347-375, June.
    2. Boško Mijatović & Milan Zavadjil, 2023. "Serbia on the path to modern economic growth," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 76(1), pages 199-220, February.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy
    • N33 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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