Bram Hilkens
@bramhilkens.bsky.social
Economic history - Preindustrial inequality - Early modern Holland - Unrelated near-dangerous music obsession
Many thanks to @timriswick.bsky.social for great editorial work!
August 26, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Many thanks to @timriswick.bsky.social for great editorial work!
It contains six diverse contributions, on topics varying from urban-rural flight during plague outbreaks in 18thC Transylvania to effects on purchasing power in 14thC Flanders to urban recovery in the aftermath of cholera epidemics in 19thC Prussia. Check it out if you're interested!
August 26, 2025 at 12:07 PM
It contains six diverse contributions, on topics varying from urban-rural flight during plague outbreaks in 18thC Transylvania to effects on purchasing power in 14thC Flanders to urban recovery in the aftermath of cholera epidemics in 19thC Prussia. Check it out if you're interested!
Can’t wait to see you and Jakob rocking one of those covers
August 6, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Can’t wait to see you and Jakob rocking one of those covers
Very much looking forward!
July 18, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Very much looking forward!
This paper is part of a special issue, edited by Daniel Curtis, Bram van Besouw, and myself. More interesting stuff coming up soon, stay tuned! (12/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
This paper is part of a special issue, edited by Daniel Curtis, Bram van Besouw, and myself. More interesting stuff coming up soon, stay tuned! (12/12)
In short, the 1655-6 plague epidemic in Hazerswoude was unable to redistribute property more equally; but it was also unable to do so more unequally. Inheritance and (re-)marriage played a major role in balancing the distribution, even if the market did respond to the increased land supply. (11/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
In short, the 1655-6 plague epidemic in Hazerswoude was unable to redistribute property more equally; but it was also unable to do so more unequally. Inheritance and (re-)marriage played a major role in balancing the distribution, even if the market did respond to the increased land supply. (11/12)
Therefore, marginal returns likely played a role in the decision to take to the market. It was not always lucrative to expand a small peat farm, but it was almost always beneficial to expand a large cattle farm. These differences are not straightforwardly captured by inequality figures. (10/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Therefore, marginal returns likely played a role in the decision to take to the market. It was not always lucrative to expand a small peat farm, but it was almost always beneficial to expand a large cattle farm. These differences are not straightforwardly captured by inequality figures. (10/12)
There was no discernible lasting effect on land prices. Prices had already declined by over 20 percent before the epidemic struck, and this trend continued in the succeeding years. Cheap land could have drawn households to the market, but it also made land less valuable. (9/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
There was no discernible lasting effect on land prices. Prices had already declined by over 20 percent before the epidemic struck, and this trend continued in the succeeding years. Cheap land could have drawn households to the market, but it also made land less valuable. (9/12)
The market was not left untouched, though. Average annual market turnover increased from 2.0 to 2.4 percent due to increased activity of small to middling owners. It is argued that by bestowing land on previously propertyless households, the epidemic increased both land supply and demand. (8/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
The market was not left untouched, though. Average annual market turnover increased from 2.0 to 2.4 percent due to increased activity of small to middling owners. It is argued that by bestowing land on previously propertyless households, the epidemic increased both land supply and demand. (8/12)
Of total post-epidemic turnover, almost three quarters was achieved outside of the market, compared to half of total turnover in the preceding years. Distributional changes were thus mostly informed by non-market institutions, like (re-)marriage and inheritance, more than the market. (7/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Of total post-epidemic turnover, almost three quarters was achieved outside of the market, compared to half of total turnover in the preceding years. Distributional changes were thus mostly informed by non-market institutions, like (re-)marriage and inheritance, more than the market. (7/12)
Instead, the distribution 'balanced' itself by boosting the holdings of middling owners, which on average more than doubled after the epidemic. Not all of this was due to accumulation of established owners; over 70 percent of total turnover post-epidemic was due to entry of new owners. (6/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Instead, the distribution 'balanced' itself by boosting the holdings of middling owners, which on average more than doubled after the epidemic. Not all of this was due to accumulation of established owners; over 70 percent of total turnover post-epidemic was due to entry of new owners. (6/12)
The number of landowners increased by 13.9 percent, the largest increases of which can be seen at the bottom. Simultaneously, the number of large landowners increased. With these changes, the distribution should have become more unequal on aggregate, but it did not. (5/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
The number of landowners increased by 13.9 percent, the largest increases of which can be seen at the bottom. Simultaneously, the number of large landowners increased. With these changes, the distribution should have become more unequal on aggregate, but it did not. (5/12)
I find that in a comparable case, the 1655-6 plague epidemic in Hazerswoude (a peat village in Holland), aggregate land distribution as measured by the Gini coefficient indeed remained stable around 0.55. The distribution, however, did change considerably. (4/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
I find that in a comparable case, the 1655-6 plague epidemic in Hazerswoude (a peat village in Holland), aggregate land distribution as measured by the Gini coefficient indeed remained stable around 0.55. The distribution, however, did change considerably. (4/12)
It has been argued that elites learned from the BD. They skewed institutions to prevent property from leaving the family and entering the market. This phenomenon, however, is relatively sparsely understood, as it heavily relies on a single case study in Italy (Alfani 2010). (3/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
It has been argued that elites learned from the BD. They skewed institutions to prevent property from leaving the family and entering the market. This phenomenon, however, is relatively sparsely understood, as it heavily relies on a single case study in Italy (Alfani 2010). (3/12)
The literature suggests that the Black Death (1347-52) narrowed economic disparities by destroying human lives while leaving capital intact, lowering the cost of capital while increasing wages. The plague waves of the seventeenth century, however, were seemingly unable to do so. (2/12)
July 10, 2025 at 2:26 PM
The literature suggests that the Black Death (1347-52) narrowed economic disparities by destroying human lives while leaving capital intact, lowering the cost of capital while increasing wages. The plague waves of the seventeenth century, however, were seemingly unable to do so. (2/12)
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Oorlog en ongelijkheid
De glorie kent vele schaduwzijden
Alle oorlogen in de zestiende en zeventiende eeuw leidden tot economische neergang, behalve de Tachtigjarige Oorlog. Deze leidde juist tot een periode van enorme bloe...
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May 27, 2025 at 1:46 PM
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Lees het hele discussiedossier hier. Met bijdragen van Maarten Prak, Alberto Feenstra, Erik Odegard, Marion Pluskota en een reactie van de auteur zelf.
Vol. 22 No. 1 (2025): TSEG
| TSEG - The Low Countries Journal of Social and Economic History
TSEG (Tijdschrift voor Sociale en Economische Geschiedenis) - The Low Countries Journal of Social and Economic History, is het Nederlands-Vlaamse vaktijdschrift op het gebied van de sociale en economi...
tseg.nl
May 27, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Lees het hele discussiedossier hier. Met bijdragen van Maarten Prak, Alberto Feenstra, Erik Odegard, Marion Pluskota en een reactie van de auteur zelf.
Congrats Marcus, very happy for you!
May 16, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Congrats Marcus, very happy for you!
Congrats, Marcus!
April 22, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Congrats, Marcus!