Skog, träkol och järn : Resurser, transporter och arbete i Gästrikland ca 1800-1825

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how labour and resources were organised in local settings, and how these patterns influenced their integration into broader economic systems. Focusing on charcoal supply, labour practices, and transport in three early 19th century ironworking communities in the Swedish province of Gästrikland – Forsbacka, Oslättfors, and Tolvfors – it analyses a range of historical sources through an operationalised model derived from the commodity frontiers framework. The methodological approach combines descriptive statistics, historical qualitative analysis, and cartographic methods. The analysis shows that labour and transport practices differed significantly between sites, with distinct arrangements surrounding work and the movement of materials. These differences, together with local adaptive responses, helped sustain the supply of necessary resources. In this way, the thesis argues that a commodity frontier emerged not only through external forces, but also through local practices and conditions.