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The Impact of Railway on the Regional Economic Development and Social Mobility in the Congress Kingdom of Poland

Author

Listed:
  • Piotr Koryś

    (University of Warsaw, Faculty of Economic Sciences)

  • Marcin Wroński

    (Collegium of World Economy, SGH Warsaw School of Economics; Visiting Scholar, Minda de Gunzburg, Center for European Studies, Harvard University)

Abstract

We estimate the impact of railway construction on local populations in Russian Poland in the 19th century. The initial wave of railway expansion outpaced economic demand. From the late 1860s onward, locations connected to the railway network experienced significantly higher population growth. The economic effects of the connection to the railway network increased over time. State-funded military railway lines generated a smaller impact than private-owned lines. We also study the impact of the railway connection on social mobility proxied through a number of notable people born in a given city. However, we do not identify any robust impact.

Suggested Citation

  • Piotr Koryś & Marcin Wroński, 2025. "The Impact of Railway on the Regional Economic Development and Social Mobility in the Congress Kingdom of Poland," Working Papers 2025-07, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    • Handle: RePEc:war:wpaper:2025-07
    as

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    File URL: https://www.wne.uw.edu.pl/download_file/5354/0
    File Function: First version, 2025
    Download Restriction: no
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    economic history; Russian Poland; economic growth; railways;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N13 - Economic History - - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics; Industrial Structure; Growth; Fluctuations - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N33 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N73 - Economic History - - Economic History: Transport, International and Domestic Trade, Energy, and Other Services - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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