2022/28 | LEM Working Paper Series | ||||||||||||||||
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||
Dimensions of Illiteracy: A Quantitative and Comparative Approach from Italy, circa 1815 |
|||||||||||||||||
Marco Martinez |
|||||||||||||||||
Keywords | |||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
||||||||||||||||
Literacy rates; random sampling; marriage certificates; human capital.
|
|||||||||||||||||
JEL Classifications | |||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
||||||||||||||||
N01, N33, J24
|
|||||||||||||||||
Abstract | |||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
||||||||||||||||
This paper quantitatively assesses to what extent signatures in marriage certificates can inform about
literacy rates in pre-industrial states. The direct estimates are based on a novel and balanced random
sample of marriage certificates for pre-unification Italy in 1815. Such figures are compared to all
alternative sources available for close years, including direct and indirect approaches who focused on
selected areas of Italy. The new empirical methodology is as important as the results found with it.
Two main findings emerge. First, marriage certificates can accurately measure literacy rates in
preindustrial Italy, but only when accompanied by rigorous sampling procedures. Indeed, the proposed
empirical approach allows to go from local to aggregate estimates that generally are in line with other
estimates for the period, and can be scaled up or applied in other contexts. Second, North vs Centre-South
divides in 1815 are lower than previously suggested. This supports the hypothesis that French
reforms and later restoration governments triggered a process of widening North-South literacy
divides.
|
Downloads
|
![]() ![]() |
|
![]()
|
![]() |