Dynamic Decades

This dissertation examines various aspects of mobility during the closing decades of the nineteenth century in Sweden. In terms of the pace and magnitude of the changes taking place during this industrial breakthrough, no other period in Swedish history compares. By studying three aspects of mobility: firm entry and exit, migration and social mobility, this dissertation provides new insights on the choices and outcomes of men, women and firms during a formative period in which the geographic, social and economic landscapes of Sweden were fundamentally transformed. In order to study processes determined at the micro level, novel data sets is employed which tracks individuals and firms across space and over time.