Working-Class Life: The “American Standard” in Comparative Perspective, 1899-1913 - Hardcover

Shergold, Peter R.

 
9780822938026: Working-Class Life: The “American Standard” in Comparative Perspective, 1899-1913

Synopsis

This book challenges the commonly held theory that American workers had a far superior standard of living than their European counterparts in the early twentieth century. Peter R. Shergold bases his study on the cities of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Birmingham, England, and compares statistical data on wage rates, labor hours, family income, retail prices, diet and budgets. He also presents information from medical investigators, travelers, charity workers, business organizations, diaries, speeches and a wide variety of other sources to breathe human life into his statistical data. Shergold reveals that skilled Americans did earn higher wages than the British, yet unskilled workers did not, while Americans worked longer hours, with a greater chance of injury, and had fewer social services.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author

Peter R. Shergold is Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in Australia, and former Senior Lecturer in economic history at the University of New South Wales.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780822985563: Working-Class Life: The “American Standard” in Comparative Perspective, 1899-1913

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  082298556X ISBN 13:  9780822985563
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1982
Softcover