Household Composition and the Well–Being of Rural Serbia in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century

Abstract

This article uses the population census of 1863 in order to compare relations between household size and household structure (according to Cambridge group typology), on one side, and the amount of household property per capita and household monthly income per capita, on the other. In terms of household size, a clear bimodal curve is visible in case of both: a steady decline to household size of five to seven members and undisturbed increase after that level up to eleven members. In terms of household structure, the amount of household property per capita generally declines from smaller to larger household structure, but the household monthly income per capita is similar among household classes. The old-age security strategy of peasants is the main driving force behind the paradox that majority of households are located within the poorest composition. Throughout his or her lifetime, an individual passes through several classes, and with the passage of time his or her well-being changes.