The Economic History Podcast Life Under Pressure
Jun 3, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Professor Tommy Bengtsson, an expert in economic history and founder of the Centre for Economic Demography, explores the impact of historical stresses on health and living standards. He reveals how 19th-century food price shocks affected mortality and fertility across classes. Bengtsson examines the long-term effects of fetal exposure to the Spanish flu and the implications of an aging population for pension systems. His insights into the Scania database highlight the connections between early-life conditions and later health outcomes.
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Be Open To Ideas And Collaborations
- Stay open to new ideas, data, methods and collaborations through conferences and seminars.
- Use unexpected discussions to identify research directions you can pursue with available data.
Building A Unique Longitudinal Database
- Tommy described building the Scania Economic Demographic Database from church books and tax records starting in 1983.
- He recounted collaborating with archives and statisticians to link individual life events to local food prices.
Social Gradient In Food-Price Vulnerability
- High food prices harmed workers far more than farmers during the 19th century in Sweden.
- The social gradient in vulnerability weakened over time as wages and welfare rose.