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The Influence of London on Labor Markets in Southern England, 1830-1914

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2016

George R. Boyer
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Extract

Historians have long acknowledged that London, because of its enormous size and rapidly growing demand for labor, acted as a powerful magnet for migrants from throughout southern England. However, while there is a large literature documenting the flow of migrants to London, there have been surprisingly few attempts to determine the consequences of this migration for southern labor markets. This article attempts to redress the imbalance in the literature by examining the influence of London on agricultural labor markets during the nineteenth century. In particular, the article examines the effect of distance from London on wage rates in southern England at various points in time, and the effect of labor market conditions in London on short-run changes in agricultural wage rates.

Type
Research Article
Information
Social Science History , Volume 22 , Issue 3: Migration and Labor Markets , Fall 1998 , pp. 257 - 285
Copyright
Copyright © Social Science History Association 1998 

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