The price of human capital in a pre-industrial economy: Premiums and apprenticeship contracts in 18th century England

B-Tier
Journal: Explorations in Economic History
Year: 2013
Volume: 50
Issue: 3
Pages: 335-350

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Training through apprenticeship provided the main mechanism for occupational human capital formation in pre-industrial England. This paper demonstrates how training premiums (fees) complemented the formal legal framework surrounding apprenticeship to secure training contracts. Premiums varied in response to scarcity rents, the expected productivity of masters and apprentices, and served as compensation for the anticipated risk of default. In most trades premiums were small enough to allow access to apprenticeship training for youths from modest families.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:exehis:v:50:y:2013:i:3:p:335-350
Journal Field
Economic History
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-26