Essays in the Economic History of Labour Market Institutions and Industry Location

Abstract

This thesis explores the role of institutions, labour relations, and economic geography in shaping long-term economic outcomes. It comprises three essays that empirically analyse how organisational structures respond to political, institutional, and historical changes, using newly collected datasets and micro-econometric methods. The first essay investigates the effects of lifting a state-specific ban on women's participation in labour unions in Imperial Germany (1903-1913). Contrary to expectations, the reform led to a decline in female union membership, as women shifted toward political party engagement and female-specific union spaces dissolved. These findings highlight the unintended consequences of legal liberalisation on minority representation. The second essay, co-authored with Felix Kersting, examines the origins of Germany's industrial relations model. Using data on labour strikes and collective bargaining agreements from early 20th-century Germany, the study finds that centralised unions gained dominance by limiting strike diffusion and promoting industrial peace through collective bargaining. This research contributes to the understanding of how labour institutions shape collective action and economic cooperation. The third essay, co-authored with Marvin Suesse, explores the persistence of industrial location patterns in Eurasia from the late Tsarist period to the Soviet era. Using geocoded industrial census data, the study finds significant path dependence in industrial location, driven by geographic constraints that mattered despite significant historical shocks such as wartime relocations and forced labour movements. The findings emphasise the long-term imprint of institutional and geographic factors on spatial economic development. Together, these essays provide novel insights into how institutions and organisational structures influence economic outcomes across different contexts and historical periods.