Abstract: Attempts to measure social mobility before the twentieth century are frequently hampered by limited data. In this paper, we use a new source – annual, matched tax censuses over more than 70 years – to calculate intragenerational income mobility within a preindustrial, settler society, the Dutch and British Cape Colony at the southern tip of Africa. Our unique source allows us to measure income mobility along several dimensions, helping to disentangle reasons for the high levels of persistence we find.
Keywords: income mobility, social mobility, Cape Colony, South Africa, settler economies
Cite as: Fourie J, Green E, Rijpma A, von Fintel D. Income Mobility before Industrialization: Evidence from South Africa’s Cape Colony. Social Science History. Published online 2024:1-30. doi:10.1017/ssh.2024.24
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