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Equity, Efficiency and Insurance: Explaining the Structure of Miners' Wage Payments in Victorian County Durham

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  • Treble, John G
  • Vicary, Simon

Abstract

The rules governing payment of hewers' wages in late nineteenth century Durham coal mines were complex. The authors' goal in this paper is to provide an economic rationale for them. Five key features are identified: payment by piece rate, payment to pairs rather than to individuals, indexation of the wage rate to coal price, an imperfect earnings equalization system, and randomized work assignment (caviling.) The authors construct a model of these institutions, explaining them as optimal responses to an environment in which output prices and seam quality are uncertain an d in which the monitoring of worker effort is costly. Copyright 1993 by Royal Economic Society.

Suggested Citation

  • Treble, John G & Vicary, Simon, 1993. "Equity, Efficiency and Insurance: Explaining the Structure of Miners' Wage Payments in Victorian County Durham," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 103(417), pages 481-493, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecj:econjl:v:103:y:1993:i:417:p:481-93
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