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Social Mobility in Sweden before the Welfare State

Author

Listed:
  • Berger, Thor
  • Engzell, Per
  • Eriksson, Björn
  • Molinder, Jakob

Abstract

We use historical census data to show that Sweden exhibited high levels of intergenerational occupational mobility several decades before the rise of the welfare state. Mobility rates were higher than in other nineteenth- and twentieth-century European countries, closer to those observed in the highly mobile nineteenth-century United States. We leverage mobility variation across Swedish municipalities to shed light on potential determinants: economic growth and migration are positively correlated with mobility, consistent with the patterns observed across countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Berger, Thor & Engzell, Per & Eriksson, Björn & Molinder, Jakob, 2023. "Social Mobility in Sweden before the Welfare State," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 83(2), pages 431-463, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:83:y:2023:i:2:p:431-463_4
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Berger, Thor & Prawitz, Erik, 2024. "Inventors among the “Impoverished Sophisticate”," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 84(4), pages 1175-1207, December.
    2. repec:ehl:wpaper:108411 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Battiston, Diego & Maurer, Stephan & Potlogea, Andrei & Rodríguez Mora, José Vicente, 2025. "The short and long run dynamics of the Great Gatsby Curve," Working Papers 49, University of Konstanz, Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality. Perceptions, Participation and Policies".
    4. Dora L. Costa & Coralee Lewis & Noelle Yetter, 2023. "Children and grandchildren of Union Army veterans: New data collections to study the persistence of longevity and socioeconomic status across generations," Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(4), pages 223-239, October.
    5. Andersson, Jonatan & Molinder, Jakob, 2025. "Did cities increase skills during industrialization? Evidence from rural-urban migration," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    6. Andersson, Jonatan, 2025. "Ascending from the bottom rung: The labor market assimilation of rural-urban migrants in Sweden, 1880–1910," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • N33 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N34 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: 1913-

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