Currents of History 3/2019 

Jelena RAFAILOVIĆ
Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade
jelena.rafailovic@f.bg.ac.rs 

Economic Structure of the Population in the Kingdom of SCS ^[1]*

Abstract: This paper deals with the economic structure of the population in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes/Yugoslavia mostly based on two censuses taken in 1921 and 1931. The topic has been addressed at demographic and economic levels through the analysis of various indicators with the aim of presenting a young country through the statistics of a basic economic segment, for the purpose of understanding its economic and social situation. 

Summary

Jelena Rafailović 

This paper presents the economic structure of the population in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes based on the censuses of 1921 and 1931 at the demographic and economic levels through an analysis of various indicators. The analysis distinguishes several conclusions that contribute to the thesis of an underdeveloped economic country, with s mainly agricultural population and numerous structural problems. The Kingdom of SCS had a high rate of growth, being in the second phase of demographic transition. The causes of mortality, the average mortality rate, and infant mortality rates indicate inferior economic conditions in the country. According to the population's age structure, the Kingdom, with 5.6% of the population over 65, was among the “mature countries,” as a country on a level of industrial transition. The distribution of the population in cities reflected the regional specificities of individual provinces, as well as the existence of some urbanization and industrialization. Undoubtedly, the population by activity was predominantly agrarian (77–78%) and overpopulated (43% – 61.5%), which was less a factor of economic growth and more of an overload. Employees in other industries did see some growth (in industry from 9.9% to 11% of the population, etc...), over the decade, but not enough for structural changes. Differences in regional structures are noticeable: economically more developed provinces, Slovenia, Croatia, and Vojvodina, had a lower natural increase, a more elderly population, and a lower dependency ratio of employed inhabitants, while Bosnia-Herzegovina and the south of the country had a high natural increase, a young population, and high unemployment.