From Noblemen to Businessmen: The Enduring Legacy of the Polish Szlachta - CANCELLED
When:
—
Venue:
Online
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.
We are pleased to announce the 3rd Seminar Series on Governance, Institutions, and Sustainability jointly hosted by the Centre for Political Economy and Institutional Studies and by the Birkbeck Responsible Business Centre, within the Birkbeck Business School.
In our rapidly evolving world, the intricate web connecting governance, institutions, and sustainability has become increasingly prominent. We invite scholars, researchers, and practitioners to enhance this very important debate and to join us in exploring the profound intertwining of these critical elements at our upcoming seminar series.
Abstract
Can the privileges of a long-abolished social class still shape economic outcomes today? We study the enduring legacy of the Polish szlachta---a noble social class dominating politics through the 18th century and abolished more than a hundred years ago---on the population of today’s 600,000 business owners in Poland. Despite the historical existence of strong cultural norms which disadvantaged the szlachta in business, the destruction of capital in two world wars and the subsequent 45 years of communist rule aimed at erasing class distinctions, we find that the descendants of noble families are 8--22% more likely to become entrepreneurs than those without noble ancestry. Evidence showing that firms owned by noble descendants employ significantly fewer females and foreigners, but more relatives as executives, hints at the persistence of the culture of exclusivity rooted in the nobility's traditional social and gender hierarchies. Our findings raise broader questions about the persistence of social classes and their influence on entrepreneurship and gender dynamics in post-communist economies and beyond.
Speaker
Krzysztof Krakowski (King’s College London, UK)
Convener/Organiser: Dr Luca Andriani
Contact name: Luca Andriani
Speakers- Krzysztof Krakowski (King's College London, UK)
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