This paper presents a study of the market concept in the records of the Swedish bicameral parliament from 1867 to 1970. The study, and an underlying project, adapt a theoretical and methodological combination of history of concepts, discourse analysis and computer linguistic methods. The theoretical and methodological framework is described and discussed, including a tool for investigating linguistic representations of the market concept in the records. Results from the dimensions of productivity and agency are presented, based on working hypotheses about a change of meaning towards a more abstract and complex understanding of market over time, which also is partially supported by the findings.