Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

What Happened to the Incomes of the Rich during the Great Levelling? Evidence from Swedish Individual-Level Data, 1909–1950

Bengtsson, Erik LU and Molinder, Jakob LU (2025) In Journal of Economic History 85(2). p.411-411
Abstract
We use individual-level income data from archived taxation lists to study top-income earners in Sweden from 1909 to 1950. Using information on 21,055 individual taxpayers in two elite areas in greater Stockholm, we show that top incomes fell in real terms over this period, at a stable pace without obvious connection to the Great Depression or the world wars. The peak of inequality was related to the early stages of a globalized economy with Schumpeterian entrepreneurial profits; the decline was related to sharpened competition, driving down profits, as well as increased regulation, expansion of education, and eroded position of professionals.
Abstract (Swedish)
We use individual-level income data from archived taxation lists to study top-income earners in Sweden from 1909 to 1950. Using information on 21,055 individual taxpayers in two elite areas in greater Stockholm, we show that top incomes fell in real terms over this period, at a stable pace without obvious connection to the Great Depression or the world wars. The peak of inequality was related to the early stages of a globalized economy with Schumpeterian entrepreneurial profits; the decline was related to sharpened competition, driving down profits, as well as increased regulation, expansion of education, and eroded position of professionals.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Economic History
volume
85
issue
2
pages
441 pages
publisher
Cambridge University Press
ISSN
0022-0507
DOI
10.1017/S0022050725000221
project
The Swedish transition to equality: income inequality with new micro data, 1862–1970
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d0b72c7e-8b81-4cd7-8ee4-0e9e90ba5c5d
date added to LUP
2025-07-18 16:40:37
date last changed
2025-08-05 10:48:24
@article{d0b72c7e-8b81-4cd7-8ee4-0e9e90ba5c5d,
  abstract     = {{We use individual-level income data from archived taxation lists to study top-income earners in Sweden from 1909 to 1950. Using information on 21,055 individual taxpayers in two elite areas in greater Stockholm, we show that top incomes fell in real terms over this period, at a stable pace without obvious connection to the Great Depression or the world wars. The peak of inequality was related to the early stages of a globalized economy with Schumpeterian entrepreneurial profits; the decline was related to sharpened competition, driving down profits, as well as increased regulation, expansion of education, and eroded position of professionals.}},
  author       = {{Bengtsson, Erik and Molinder, Jakob}},
  issn         = {{0022-0507}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{411--411}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Economic History}},
  title        = {{What Happened to the Incomes of the Rich during the Great Levelling? Evidence from Swedish Individual-Level Data, 1909–1950}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0022050725000221}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S0022050725000221}},
  volume       = {{85}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}