The costs of doing hard time: a penitentiary‐based regional price index for Canada, 1883–1923

Chris Minns and Mary MacKinnon

Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, 2007, vol. 40, issue 2, 528-560

Abstract: Abstract. We construct consumer price indices for Canada, based mainly on the expenditure records of Canada's federal penitentiaries. Regional price variation was much greater in Canada in the late nineteenth century than in the northern U.S. The new data suggest substantial price decline to 1900. Regional price variation in Canada decreased gradually to 1914, and quickly during the First World War. For 1900–14 and 1922–3, new data are largely consistent with consumer price data compiled by the Labour Gazette. The new data suggest more inflation during the First World War. On construit des indices de prix à la consommation pour le Canada à partir des archives de dépenses des pénitenciers fédéraux au Canada. La variation régionale des prix était plus grande au Canada que dans le nord des Etats‐Unis à la fin du 19e siècle. Ces nouvelles données suggèrent qu'il y a eu chute substantielle des prix jusqu'en 1900. La variation régionale des prix décline graduellement au Canada jusqu'en 1914 et rapidement durant la première guerre mondiale. Pour les périodes de 1900–14 et 1922–3, les nouvelles données s'arriment assez bien avec les données sur les prix à la consommation compilées par La Gazette du Canada. Ces données nouvelles suggèrent qu'il y a eu davantage d'inflation au cours de la première guerre mondiale.

Date: 2007
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https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2007.00420.x

Related works:
Journal Article: The costs of doing hard time: a penitentiary-based regional price index for Canada, 1883-1923 (2007)
Working Paper: THE COSTS OF DOING HARD TIME: A PENITENTIARY-BASED REGIONAL PRICE INDEX FOR CANADA, 1883-1923 (2006)
Working Paper: The Costs of Doing Hard Time: A penitentiary-based regional price index for Canada, 1883-1923 (2005)
Working Paper: The Costs of Doing Hard Time: A penitentiary-based regional price index for Canada, 1883-1923 (2005)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:canjec:v:40:y:2007:i:2:p:528-560

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