Some Dimensions of the 'Quality of Life' During the British Industrial Revolution

The article sets out estimates for various aspects of well-being during British industrialization. Judgements about changes in living standards are shown to be sensitive to weighting procedures. It is argued that recent participants in the famous standard of living controversy have assigned undue im...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Economic history review 1997-11, Vol.50 (4), p.617-639
Main Author: Crafts, N. F. R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
British Industrial Revolution
Economic history
Economic indices
Economics
History
Industrial development
Industrial Revolution
Life expectancy
Literacy
Mortality
Quality of life
Real wages
Standard of living
Surveys and Speculations
Wellbeing
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Summary:The article sets out estimates for various aspects of well-being during British industrialization. Judgements about changes in living standards are shown to be sensitive to weighting procedures. It is argued that recent participants in the famous standard of living controversy have assigned undue importance to trends in heights and that concern for quality of life rather than real wages need not imply a pessimistic view of changes in aggregate well-being during the industrial revolution. Urban mortality experience is shown to be the least satisfactory aspect of well-being and it is suggested that this reflects difficulties of financing local public goods.
ISSN:0013-0117
1468-0289
DOI:10.1111/1468-0289.00071