What Happened to the Incomes of the Rich during the Great Levelling? Evidence from Swedish Individual-Level Data, 1909–1950
(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.
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https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/d0b72c7e-8b81-4cd7-8ee4-0e9e90ba5c5d
- author
- Bengtsson, Erik LU and Molinder, Jakob LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-06
- 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}}, }