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When 1984 was written in the 40s the economics of car ownership were very different. Great post on this: “Why Agatha Christie could afford a maid and a nanny b

When 1984 was written in the 40s the economics of car ownership were very different. Great post on this: “Why Agatha Christie could afford a maid and a nanny but not a car” https://www.fullstackeconomics.com/p/why-agatha-christie-could-afford-a-maid-and-a-nanny-but-not-a-car https://www.fullstackeconomics.com/p/why-agatha-christie-cou...

kube-system 4y ago
That’s still the case in some parts of the world. We take for granted in the western world that labor is expensive.
SilasX 4y ago
The time when cars were more expensive than servants was 1890s-1910s, not the 1940s though.
- Retric 4y ago
  1940’s was when 1984 was written, not the year being compared for Agatha Christie. “In 1919, Ford’s Model T cost £170—around $12,000 in 2022 dollars. So a car was worth about three months of income for the Christie family—but almost five years of income for their maid!” 3 months salary was clearly an affordable if major expenses, so this was more a question of prioritization. A maid making the equivalent of 200$/month sounds incredibly low a mere 100 years ago, but would actually be a competitive salary in many cities today.
  - SilasX 4y ago
    > 1940’s was when 1984 was written, not the year being compared for Agatha Christie. But it was being brought up right after mention of the 1940s, implying some explanatory power for that decade.
    - Retric 4y ago
      The explanatory power is in reference to 1984. The lack of cars in 1984 is yet another indication that economic prosperity declined relative to the year when the boom was written. Just as the chocolate ration was reduced multiple times. However, if 1984 was written in say 1900 the lack of cars wouldn’t have signified anything.
  - FooBarBizBazz 4y ago
    > "In 1919, Ford’s Model T cost £170—around $12,000 in 2022 dollars." Amazing. In real terms, entry-level cars have doubled in price. We could use a new Henry Ford.
    - kalleboo 4y ago
      I think a lot of the cost comes from minimum safety standards that didn't exist before. I don't think there's that much margin to lower car prices (apart from the dealer price hikes from covid/chipageddon) In Japan you can get a brand new Suzuki Alto for $8000. And it even has a 7-inch touch screen with CarPlay support. But you wouldn't want to get into a crash with one of those on a U.S. highway.
    - Retric 4y ago
      Used cars largely fill this rule. Ultra cheap new cars do show up in emerging markets where decent used cars are in short supply.

kube-system 4y ago

That’s still the case in some parts of the world. We take for granted in the western world that labor is expensive.

SilasX 4y ago

The time when cars were more expensive than servants was 1890s-1910s, not the 1940s though.

Retric 4y ago
1940’s was when 1984 was written, not the year being compared for Agatha Christie. “In 1919, Ford’s Model T cost £170—around $12,000 in 2022 dollars. So a car was worth about three months of income for the Christie family—but almost five years of income for their maid!” 3 months salary was clearly an affordable if major expenses, so this was more a question of prioritization. A maid making the equivalent of 200$/month sounds incredibly low a mere 100 years ago, but would actually be a competitive salary in many cities today.
- SilasX 4y ago
  > 1940’s was when 1984 was written, not the year being compared for Agatha Christie. But it was being brought up right after mention of the 1940s, implying some explanatory power for that decade.
  - Retric 4y ago
    The explanatory power is in reference to 1984. The lack of cars in 1984 is yet another indication that economic prosperity declined relative to the year when the boom was written. Just as the chocolate ration was reduced multiple times. However, if 1984 was written in say 1900 the lack of cars wouldn’t have signified anything.
- FooBarBizBazz 4y ago
  > "In 1919, Ford’s Model T cost £170—around $12,000 in 2022 dollars." Amazing. In real terms, entry-level cars have doubled in price. We could use a new Henry Ford.
  - kalleboo 4y ago
    I think a lot of the cost comes from minimum safety standards that didn't exist before. I don't think there's that much margin to lower car prices (apart from the dealer price hikes from covid/chipageddon) In Japan you can get a brand new Suzuki Alto for $8000. And it even has a 7-inch touch screen with CarPlay support. But you wouldn't want to get into a crash with one of those on a U.S. highway.
  - Retric 4y ago
    Used cars largely fill this rule. Ultra cheap new cars do show up in emerging markets where decent used cars are in short supply.