Quality of Life and Quality of Work in the Past: A Survey of Approaches

Abstract This special issue presents new research investigating a central topic for economic history: the standard of living. We survey the long-running interest of economic historians in living standards and review the approaches that scholars have used to ascertain how life quality has changed in the past, identifying shifting emphases in the literature and the introduction of new metrics. We then describe the recent research and policy interest in decent work and job quality, which are important contributors to life quality, and we discuss economic and labor historians’ contributions on these topics. Focused analysis of work allows for more specific consideration of factors that may improve or degrade living standards, and it contributes to current policy and scientific debates. We then turn to the papers in the special issue, which add to our understanding of quality of life and quality of work by constructing new metrics, introducing fresh perspectives on the normative basis of existing measurements, and analyzing life and work quality in previously-neglected locations and periods. The empirical findings of the papers show the varied development of different indicators of life quality between and within countries and regions, the role of institutions in subjective wellbeing, and factors influencing the availability of decent work in the Medieval period and the 20 th century.