Migration and the Household Economy of the Poor in Catalonia, c.1762-1803

Carbonell-Esteller, Montserrat; Marfany, Julie; Pujadas-Mora, Joana Maria

Abstract

Migration was a key element in the ‘economy of makeshifts’ of the poor. We examine such migration through a case study of late eighteenth-century Catalonia. We identify areas where seasonal migration formed an important part of the household economy of the poor, and explore how this migration fitted into local labour markets. We also use records for the men, women and children admitted to the Barcelona workhouse over the period 1762–1803. We compare those born inside the city with those born elsewhere. We show that migration varied by gender, age, occupational background and place of origin. In particular, we show how migrant flows into Barcelona were determined by the demand for male and female labour and by the local economy of these places of origin.

Citation

Carbonell-Esteller, M., Marfany, J., & Pujadas-Mora, J. M. (2022). Migration and the Household Economy of the Poor in Catalonia, c.1762-1803. In B. Zucca Micheletto (Ed.), Gender and Migration in Historical Perspective (323-353). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99554-6_10

• Online Publication Date: Sep 2, 2022
• Publication Date: 2022
• Deposit Date: Sep 9, 2022
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• Pages: 323-353
• Series Title: Palgrave Studies in Economic History
• Book Title: Gender and Migration in Historical Perspective
• Chapter Number: 10
• ISBN: 978-3-030-99553-9
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99554-6_10
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1644408