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Real Urban Wage in an Agricultural Economy Without Landless Farmers: Serbia 1862-1910

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  • , Stone Center

    (The Graduate Center/CUNY)

  • Mijatović, Boško
  • Milanovic, Branko

Abstract

The paper presents the first estimate of the welfare ratio for Serbia using the 19th and early 20th century data on wages of skilled and unskilled workers (including the part paid in kind) and prices of goods that enter into “subsistence” and “respectability” consumption baskets. It finds a stagnation of unskilled wage close to the welfare ratio of 1, and a modest increase in skilled wage. The paper introduces several adjustments to conventional methodology in order to make it more relevant for predominantly agricultural societies. (Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality Working Paper)

Suggested Citation

  • , Stone Center & Mijatović, Boško & Milanovic, Branko, 2020. "Real Urban Wage in an Agricultural Economy Without Landless Farmers: Serbia 1862-1910," SocArXiv cafw2, Center for Open Science.
  • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:cafw2
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/cafw2
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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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