Deaf and dumb Quote by Vilhelm Moberg
““Besides the 254 peasants and cotters who owned and lived on assessed land, there were 39 persons listed as artisans and apprentices, 92 squatters, 11 enlisted soldiers, 6 innkeepers, 5 horse traders, 3 house-to-house peddlers. There were also 274 farm servants, 23 bedesmen and bedeswomen, 104 “ordinary poor,” 18 sick and crippled, 11 deaf and dumb, 8 blind, 6 nearly blind, 13 almost lame, 4 lame, 5 near idiots, 3 idiots, 1 half idiot, 3 whores and 2 thieves. On the last page of the church book, under the heading “End of the Parish,” were listed 27 persons who had moved away and never been further heard from.””
About This Quote
Source Historical record: Parish register, 19th century Sweden
The excerpt lists the social composition of a rural community, showing many poor and marginalized individuals alongside a few artisans and soldiers.
In simple terms: A snapshot of a village’s diverse, mostly impoverished population.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the breadth of social inequality in historical contexts.
Themes
social class
poverty
rural life
demographics
history
Mood
somber
reflective
analytical
Type
historical
sociological
documentary
When to use this quote
- genealogical research
- social policy analysis
- educational case study
- museum exhibit
- community outreach
Key Concepts
economic disparity
social stratification
historical demography
Questions to Reflect On
- How did such demographic structures affect daily life?
- What policies could have altered these conditions?
A Different Perspective
The data may not capture informal economies or unrecorded individuals.
![“Mrs. HOWE (Julia Ward)–Wife of Dr. Howe, of Boston, famous as a teacher of the deaf and dumb. This lady is here, giving a course of private lectures, on quaint subjects—e. g. “moral triganometry [sic]” alias “practical ethics.” I dined with her, by special invitation, at Mr. Eames’—She is a smart…” quote by Howard K. Beale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/114/howard-k-beale-93501_marriage_mrs-howe-julia-ward-wife-of-dr-howe-of-b_585762.jpg)
