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Electrifying equality: How electricity adoption boosted inclusive growth in early 20th century Sweden

Jayes, Jonathan LU ; Molinder, Jakob LU and Enflo, Kerstin LU orcid (2024)
Abstract
When new general-purpose technologies like AI emerge, both techno-optimists and techno-pessimists predict that inequality will increase among the labour force. This column studies the rapid introduction of electricity in early 20th century Sweden and its effect on workers. The transformative technology benefitted those at the bottom of the income distribution, resulting in higher incomes, lower inequality, and new occupations accessible to workers with only a primary education. However, it is important to invest in high-quality basic education and skills development to ensure that workers can adapt to and benefit from technological change.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Other contribution
publication status
published
subject
categories
Popular Science
publisher
Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)
project
Praise the people or praise the place: How culture and specialization drive long-term regional growth
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Vox EU Column
id
c90b753e-be3e-4b15-a38b-bbb1a5aa62c6
alternative location
https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/electrifying-equality-how-electricity-adoption-boosted-inclusive-growth-early-20th
date added to LUP
2024-05-28 15:11:09
date last changed
2024-05-29 11:33:38
@misc{c90b753e-be3e-4b15-a38b-bbb1a5aa62c6,
  abstract     = {{When new general-purpose technologies like AI emerge, both techno-optimists and techno-pessimists predict that inequality will increase among the labour force. This column studies the rapid introduction of electricity in early 20th century Sweden and its effect on workers. The transformative technology benefitted those at the bottom of the income distribution, resulting in higher incomes, lower inequality, and new occupations accessible to workers with only a primary education. However, it is important to invest in high-quality basic education and skills development to ensure that workers can adapt to and benefit from technological change.}},
  author       = {{Jayes, Jonathan and Molinder, Jakob and Enflo, Kerstin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  publisher    = {{Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)}},
  title        = {{Electrifying equality: How electricity adoption boosted inclusive growth in early 20th century Sweden}},
  url          = {{https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/electrifying-equality-how-electricity-adoption-boosted-inclusive-growth-early-20th}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}