Working for tomorrow? Wages and savings capacity of workers at the Hospital de la Santa Creu in Barcelona in the mid-19th century

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33231/j.ihe.2025.03.05

Keywords:

J12, J31, J33, D13

Abstract

Evidence that low wages hardly guaranteed the livelihood of working-class families in industrial Barcelona necessitates considering other forms of income. In this regard, this article analyses the capacity for premarital savings and its subsequent availability during the most critical moments of the family cycle. It does so by highlighting the numerical importance of single individuals in the Barcelona labour market and by studying the wages at the Hospital de la Santa Creu in the mid-19th century. This institution employed mostly immigrant, young, and single live-in workers. This has allowed for the consideration of wages in kind, commonly overlooked in wage studies. The results corroborate the need to contemplate the complete family cycle, demonstrate the capacity of premarital savings to mitigate future deficits in family budgets, and emphasize the contribution of women to family economies.

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Published

2025-10-02

How to Cite

Tusell, T. (2025). Working for tomorrow? Wages and savings capacity of workers at the Hospital de la Santa Creu in Barcelona in the mid-19th century. Investigaciones De Historia Económica, 21(3), 105–130. https://doi.org/10.33231/j.ihe.2025.03.05

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ARTICLES

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