Wallis, Patrick (2011) Labour, law and training in early modern London: apprenticeship and the city’s institutions. Economic History working papers, 154/11. Department of Economic History, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK.
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Abstract
Successful apprenticeship is often explained by effective contract enforcement. But what happened when enforcement was weak? This paper reveals that within early modern London, England’s dominant centre for training, the city’s court provided apprentices with near automatic exits from their indentures, and allowed them to recover a share of their premium, reflecting faults and time served. Between 3 and 8 percent of apprentices received court discharges. Easy dissolution was a response to unstable contracts. By supplying a straightforward mechanism to cut legal ties, the city reduced the risks surrounding apprenticeship and facilitated London’s rapid expansion.
| Item Type: | Monograph (Working Paper) |
|---|---|
| Official URL: | http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/economicHistory/ |
| Additional Information: | © 2011 The author |
| Library of Congress subject classification: | D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor |
| Journal of Economic Literature Classification System: | N - Economic History > N3 - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Income, and Wealth > N33 - Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Income and Wealth: Europe: Pre-1913 |
| Sets: | Departments > Economic History Collections > Economists Online |
| Identification Number: | 154/11 |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Jan 2012 13:27 |
| URL: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/41172/ |
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