Prices, Food and Wages in Scotland, 1550–1780 - Hardcover

Gibson, A. J. S.; Smout, T. C.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521346568 ISBN 13: 9780521346566

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1994

Synopsis

This 1994 book is a study of Scottish price history and a major contribution to the economic and social history of early modern and pre-industrial Britain. Using the remarkable series of 'fiars' prices for grains and other contemporary sources, Gibson and Smout focus, in particular, on the prices of grain, meal and animal products, and assess how Scots artisans and labourers could survive in an economy that could pay only very low money wages. The authors show how the Scottish people experienced fluctuations in welfare both in the longer term from generation to generation, and within a given life-cycle. The Scottish records on prices and wages are a unique historical resource, to which Gibson and Smout have applied both traditional and quantitative historical techniques. In so doing they produced a powerful contribution to the perennial debate on the standard of living of ordinary people prior to the onset of industrialization.

About this title

Review

'... an excellent statistical survey ... represents a major advance in our understanding of early modern and eighteenth century Scotland.' Economic History Review

Book Description

This 1994 book is a study of Scottish price history. Gibson and Smout focus, in particular, on the prices of grain, meal and animal products, and their conclusions make a powerful contribution to the perennial debate on the standard of living of ordinary people prior to industrialization.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521346568
• ISBN 13: 9780521346566
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 416