Cohort Entry Collapse Absorbs Tech Shocks

Mechanization in 19th‑century English bootmaking eliminated 153,000 artisanal roles while creating ~140,000 specialized jobs, yet incumbents did not move into the new occupations. Instead the labour market adjusted because young men stopped entering the old trade and new, younger workers filled the emerging roles—often in different places. — This reframes technological disruption: job loss can often occur via declining entry by new cohorts rather than mass firing, so policy should focus on entry pathways, youth hiring, and geographic mobility as much as on severance or retraining for incumbents.