An economy ill-suited to younger workers: Child and youth workforce participation in colonial Queensland, 1886-1901
Author(s)
Bowden, Bradley
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2006
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This article explores the extend and significance of child and youth work in late 19th century Australia. It demonstrates that, while demographic changes meant that almost half the population was aged 19 years or less, this age cohort never comprised more than 18 per cent of the recorded workforce. It is argued that this underrepresentation reflects the fact that children and youths were ill-suited to the work demands of most colonial occupations. They did not threaten the position of adult males in the key areas of the economy such as construction, heavy engineering, pastoral wok, mining and transport. Keywords: child ...
View more >This article explores the extend and significance of child and youth work in late 19th century Australia. It demonstrates that, while demographic changes meant that almost half the population was aged 19 years or less, this age cohort never comprised more than 18 per cent of the recorded workforce. It is argued that this underrepresentation reflects the fact that children and youths were ill-suited to the work demands of most colonial occupations. They did not threaten the position of adult males in the key areas of the economy such as construction, heavy engineering, pastoral wok, mining and transport. Keywords: child labour, demographic economics, history, labour demand, Queensland
View less >
View more >This article explores the extend and significance of child and youth work in late 19th century Australia. It demonstrates that, while demographic changes meant that almost half the population was aged 19 years or less, this age cohort never comprised more than 18 per cent of the recorded workforce. It is argued that this underrepresentation reflects the fact that children and youths were ill-suited to the work demands of most colonial occupations. They did not threaten the position of adult males in the key areas of the economy such as construction, heavy engineering, pastoral wok, mining and transport. Keywords: child labour, demographic economics, history, labour demand, Queensland
View less >
Journal Title
Australian Economic History Review
Volume
46
Issue
2
Subject
Applied economics
History and philosophy of specific fields