Escape from the Market - Negotiating Work in Lancashire

This book describes how wages were set in post-industrial revolution Lancashire.

List of contents

List of figures; List of tables; Preface; Glossary; List of abbreviations; 1. Introduction: the myth of the Lancashire labour market; Part I. Labour Market Failure?: 2. Custom against the market: the early labour market; 3. Principals and agents: the labour market into the second generation; 4. Who's minding the mill? The supervision problem; Part II. The Economics of Piece-Rate Bargaining: 5. The fair wage model; Part III. How Did Labour Markets Really Work?: 6. Fair and unfair wages: 1825-50; 7. Short hours and seniority in the 'hungry 'forties'; 8. Rules and standards: wage lists in Lancashire; Part IV. Conclusion: 9. More lessons from the cotton mills; Notes; Bibliography; Index.

Summary

This book questions the idea that wages were set by thoroughgoing competition in the heyday of laissez-faire capitalism. Drawing on the experience of workers during industrialisation, this book shows that workers and firms have good reasons to fix wages independently of market fluctuations.

Product details

• Authors: Michael Huberman
• Publisher: Cambridge Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 12.09.1996
• EAN: 9780521561518
• ISBN: 978-0-521-56151-8
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 17 mm
• Weight: 530 g
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Business > Economics; England, Lancashire, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Economic History, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, Economic history, Labour / income economics, Labour Economics, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Labor / General