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Work amongst older men in Spain, 1900–1970: a quantitative analysis based on census data
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 May 2015
Abstract
This article presents a historical examination of employment amongst men aged 60 years or more in Spain. We aim to explore the characteristics of this segment of the labour force and to analyse the key transformations affecting it during the first seven decades of the twentieth century, such as structural change and, most notably, the rise of public pensions. We then move on to identify specific problems faced by older workers during the study period. It has been hypothesised that one of these was the ‘life-cycle deskilling process’, the effects of which have previously been demonstrated in case studies of certain nations other than Spain. We explore whether life-cycle deskilling also occurred in Spain. We take a quantitative perspective, basing our analysis on the age by occupation tables published from the Spanish censuses from 1900 to 1970.
Le travail des hommes âgés en espagne de 1900 à 1970: une analyse quantitative à partir des recensements
Cet article présente une étude historique de l'emploi chez les hommes âgés de 60 ans et plus en Espagne. Il explore ce qui caractérise ce segment de la population active et analyse les transformations clés qui l'ont affecté pendant les sept premières décennies du XXe siècle. Parmi les changements structurels, on note tout particulièrement l'augmentation du nombre des pensions versées par les services publics. Nous nous attachons ensuite à identifier les problèmes spécifiques rencontrés par les travailleurs âgés au cours de la période étudiée. Des historiens ont émis l'hypothèse qu'entre autres problèmes, un processus de «déqualification au long du cours de la vie» était intervenu, dont les effets avaient déjà été montrés pour des pays autres que l'Espagne. Nous recherchons donc si une déqualification de ce type a également eu lieu en Espagne. Notre point de vue est quantitatif. Notre analyse repose sur les tableaux par âges et professions publiés à partir des recensements espagnols de 1900 à 1970.
Arbeit unter älteren männern in spanien, 1900–1970: eine quantitative analyse auf der basis von volkszählungsdaten
Dieser Beitrag liefert eine historische Untersuchung der Beschäftigung unter Männern in Spanien im Alter von 60 Jahren und darüber. Unser Ziel besteht darin, die Charakteristika dieses Segments der Erwerbsbevölkerung zu erkunden und die wesentlichen Veränderungen zu analysieren, denen es in den ersten sieben Jahrzehnten des 20. Jahrhunderts ausgesetzt war, etwa dem Strukturwandel der Beschäftigung und, vor allem, dem Anstieg der öffentlichen Rentenversicherung. Anschließend identifizieren wir die spezifischen Probleme, denen ältere Arbeiter im Untersuchungszeitraum ausgesetzt waren. Einer Hypothese zufolge zählt dazu ein „lebenszyklischer Dequalifizierungsprozess“, dessen Auswirkungen in Fallstudien für andere Länder als Spanien bereits beschrieben worden sind. Wir untersuchen, ob es lebenszyklische Dequalifizierung auch in Spanien gab, und wählen dafür eine quantitative Perspektive, wobei unsere Analyse auf den altersspezifischen Berufstabellen in den spanischen Volkszählungen von 1900 bis 1970 beruht.
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