A comparison of real wages in swedish agriculture and secondary and tertiary industries, 1870–1949

Abstract

During the course of more than 40 years of rapid economic change in Sweden beginning in the 1870's, the money income of hired agricultural labour in terms of that of other hired labour does not appear to have changed significantly in the long run. This is shown by the fact that annual earnings of adult male agricultural employees were, in two periods, 1867–73 and 1908–13, approximately 56 % of those of a representative group of skilled and unskilled wage workers in secondary and tertiary occupations (hereafter called 'industry').¹