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Structural Change in the Workforce (1950-1970)

Under the conditions of the “economic miracle,” the Federal Republic witnessed a profound change in its occupational structure during the first two decades of its existence. Among the most important developments was the decline in the number of those working in agriculture by two-thirds, and the upswing in industry, trade, and the service sector, in particular. While the ratio of blue-collar workers was declining, the ratio of white-collar workers and civil servants within the working population was on the rise.

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Gainfully Employed Persons by Economic Sector and Occupational Status in the Federal Republic 1950–1970 (in percent)


Economic sector

Year

Total number of gainfully employed persons 

Distribution:

Self-employed

Participating family members

Civil servants

White-collar employees

Workers

Agriculture and forestry, animal husbandry and fishing   

1950

23.2

38.4

85.8

0.8

0.9

9.7

1961

13.5

35.3

74.9

0.5

0.5

3.2

1970

7.5

25.8

60.9

0.4

0.6

2.2

Manufacturing and processing industry

1950

34.4

22.3

4.6

0.3

28.3

50.9

1961

40.5

17.1

6.7

0.2

33.0

61.4

1970

41.2

18.2

11.1

0.3

34.7

61.2

Construction industry

1950

7.9

6.4

0.6

3.1

12.6

1961

7.7

5.2

1.0

2.5

13.0

1970

7.7

6.5

2.4

3.2

12.9

Trade, banking, and insurance

1950

10.1

20.0

5.5

1.3

28.9

3.3

1961

13.6

23.7

9.8

1.0

30.7

4.4

1970

15.0

24.3

12.8

0.9

27.9

6.9

Transportation

1950

5.5

2.3

0.3

38.6

5.3

5.4

1961

5.6

2.3

0.5

37.6

4.1

5.1

1970

5.4

3.0

1.0

24.0

3.9

4.7

Services

1950

6.3

6.8

2.9

0.1

3.9

8.4

1961

11.2

16.4

7.1

21.1

16.9

7.3

1970

13.6

22.1

11.8

19.5

18.2

7.9

Other economic sectors

1950

12.6

3.7

0.3

58.9

29.6

9.7

1961

7.9

0.0

0.0

39.6

13.1

5.5

1970

9.5

0.1

0.0

55.0

11.5

4.3

All economic sectors together

1950

100

100

100

100

100

100

1961

100

100

100

100

100

100

1970

100

100

100

100

100

100

 

Source: Gerhard A. Ritter and Merith Niehuss, Wahlen in Deutschland, 1945-1990. Ein Handbuch [Elections in Germany, 1945-1990. A Workbook]. Munich: Beck, 1991, p. 53.

Translation: Thomas Dunlap

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