Like moths to a flame: an individual level approach to technological change in 20th century Sweden

This thesis analyzes the effects of technological change using the case of
electrification in 20th-century Sweden. It begins with a systematic literature
review that identifies gaps in the quantitative research on historical job
displacement before 1980. In Sweden, electrification enhanced labor and
reduced income inequality. Analysis of 1930 census data shows that early
electricity access raised incomes, particularly for lower-income and less-
educated individuals.

The research reveals a labor market forked into two groups. High-skilled
engineers, identified using AI analysis of historical biographies, were a mobile
elite with international experience who implemented the technology. In
contrast, the main economic benefits went to the local, less-skilled workforce.
The firm-level analysis investigated the impact of corporate leadership by
treating U.S. management practices as a form of technology. Appointing the
first U.S.-experienced engineer to a board had different effects depending on
the era: before 1945, it led to hiring more workers, while after 1945, it led
to workforce reductions and a smaller portion of company earnings going to
workers. Directors with business backgrounds had no significant effect on
labor in either period.

The thesis concludes that the societal impact of technology is not predetermined
but is shaped by the technology itself and its institutional context (meaning the
laws, union strength, and political climate of the time).