The price of human capital in a pre-industrial economy: Premiums and apprenticeship contracts in 18th century England

Chris Minns and Patrick Wallis

Explorations in Economic History, 2013, vol. 50, issue 3, 335-350

Abstract: Training through apprenticeship provided the main mechanism for occupational human capital formation in pre-industrial England. This paper demonstrates how training premiums (fees) complemented the formal legal framework surrounding apprenticeship to secure training contracts. Premiums varied in response to scarcity rents, the expected productivity of masters and apprentices, and served as compensation for the anticipated risk of default. In most trades premiums were small enough to allow access to apprenticeship training for youths from modest families.

Keywords: Apprenticeship; Training; 18th century England (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J24 K31 N33 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (24)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:exehis:v:50:y:2013:i:3:p:335-350

DOI: 10.1016/j.eeh.2013.02.001

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