Work

The Distribution of Land in Luxembourg (1766–1872): Family-Level Wealth Persistence in the Midst of Institutional Change

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The paper analyzes family-level wealth inequality and social mobility in Dudelange (Luxembourg) over five generations between 1766 and 1872, a period that saw the end of feudal social relations. While the integration of Luxembourg into the French revolutionary regime produced a reduction in the Gini coefficient for the ownership of land, the social mobility analysis reveals a relative stability of family positions within the land-wealth distribution throughout the period. This shows that family-level transmission mechanisms limit social mobility and strongly advantage those with ancestors owning property wealth, even when there are significant changes in the organization of property relations.

Source: The Journal of Economic History

DOI: 10.1017/s0022050724000421

Authors: Sonia Schifano, Antoine Paccoud

Institutions: Bocconi University, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research

Language: English

Topic: Historical Economic and Social Studies

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, No poverty

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,450