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A Window to the Past: Living standards in historical perspective

Abad, Leticia Arroyo and Gary, Kathryn LU (2023) In DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES
Abstract
Real wages are a convenient, useful, and powerful way to learn how life was like in the past. In this chapter we start by reviewing the methodology behind real wage estimations and their history. Then we look at the how real wages have contributed to shedding light on major issues in economic history such as the onset of modern economic growth, the Great Divergence, and colonialism in the Americas. We continue to explain the limitations and challenges in estimating and interpreting real wages.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Working paper/Preprint
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Living standards, Real wages, Cost of living, N3, E24, J3
in
DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES
issue
Discussion Paper DP18449
publisher
Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ccf2d1ff-d8f6-4f8a-b91a-d5c5f2c9a272
alternative location
https://cepr.org/publications/dp18449
date added to LUP
2025-03-24 15:25:39
date last changed
2025-04-04 15:16:17
@misc{ccf2d1ff-d8f6-4f8a-b91a-d5c5f2c9a272,
  abstract     = {{Real wages are a convenient, useful, and powerful way to learn how life was like in the past. In this chapter we start by reviewing the methodology behind real wage estimations and their history. Then we look at the how real wages have contributed to shedding light on major issues in economic history such as the onset of modern economic growth, the Great Divergence, and colonialism in the Americas. We continue to explain the limitations and challenges in estimating and interpreting real wages.}},
  author       = {{Abad, Leticia Arroyo and Gary, Kathryn}},
  keywords     = {{Living standards; Real wages; Cost of living; N3; E24; J3}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Working Paper}},
  number       = {{Discussion Paper DP18449}},
  publisher    = {{Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)}},
  series       = {{DISCUSSION PAPER SERIES}},
  title        = {{A Window to the Past: Living standards in historical perspective}},
  url          = {{https://cepr.org/publications/dp18449}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}