Part-Year Operation in 19th Century American Manufacturing: Evidence from the 1870 and 1880 Censuses

Jerome Levy Economics Institute of Bard College Working Paper No. 327

13 Pages Posted: 9 May 2001

See all articles by Jeremy Atack

Jeremy Atack

Vanderbilt University - College of Arts and Science - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Fred Bateman

University of Georgia - C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry College of Business - Department of Economics

Robert A. Margo

Boston University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: March 2001

Abstract

Using unpublished data contained in samples from the manuscripts of the 1870 and 1880 censuses of manufactures the earliest comprehensive estimates available this study examines the extent and correlates of part-year manufacturing during the late 19th century. While the typical manufacturing plant operated full-time, part-year operation was not uncommon; its likelihood of this varied across industries and locations and with plant characteristics. Workers in such plants received somewhat higher monthly wages than those in firms that operated year round, compensating them somewhat for their losses and possible inconvenience.

Suggested Citation

Atack, Jeremy and Bateman, Fred and Margo, Robert A., Part-Year Operation in 19th Century American Manufacturing: Evidence from the 1870 and 1880 Censuses (March 2001). Jerome Levy Economics Institute of Bard College Working Paper No. 327, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=269370 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.269370

Jeremy Atack

Vanderbilt University - College of Arts and Science - Department of Economics ( email )

Box 1819 Station B
415 Calhoun Hall
Nashville, TN 37235
United States
615-322-2871 (Phone)
615-343-8495 (Fax)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Fred Bateman (Contact Author)

University of Georgia - C. Herman and Mary Virginia Terry College of Business - Department of Economics ( email )

Athens, GA 30602
United States
706-542-1311 (Phone)
706-542-3376 (Fax)

Robert A. Margo

Boston University - Department of Economics ( email )

270 Bay State Road
Boston, MA 02215
United States
617-353-6819 (Phone)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
56
Abstract Views
2,070
Rank
715,822
PlumX Metrics