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The general Swedish industrialization accelerated during the nineteenth century. Simultaneously, the Swedish manual glass industry was concentrated in a small region in south-eastern Småland, henceforth called the glass district. However, during the 1960s the industry diminished; in the glass district the number of glassworks decreased from about 40 units (some large, several small) until merely a few small ones remained. In this chapter, the specific features of the manual glass industry are presented and two questions are analyzed. First, why did the industry decline and the number of glassworks decrease? Before the 1960s, everyday commodities were a mainstay in the production, but now, almost all of these were driven out of the market by machine-made products. What remained were art glass and some very exclusive tableware, which constituted a small part of the previous manufacture. Second, which attempts were made to overcome these difficulties? For example, a rationalization expert was consulted and made a number of suggestions, albeit unsuccessful since he did not consider the specific characteristics of manual glass production. A short counterfactual discussion of possible alternatives concludes the chapter.

A new GDP series per capita for Sweden during 15601800 is presented, linked to slightly revised data for 18002000. Long-term stagnation up to the nineteenth century is revealed but with secular changes. Growth characterized much of the seventeenth century with modernization of state administration, industry and trade. In the next century, stagnation and even retrogression followed. Wars in the seventeenth century may have stimulated growth, but also exhausted resources. Despite stagnation, the structure of the economy shifted and created preconditions for the modern economic growth that took off in the nineteenth century.