From Artisan to Worker: Guilds, the French State, and the Organization of Labor, 1776-1821

From Artisan to Worker examines the largely overlooked debate over the potential reestablishment of guilds that occurred from 1776 to 1821. The abolition of guilds in 1791 overturned an organization of labor that had been in place for centuries. The disorder that ensued – from concerns about the safety of the food supply to a general decline in the quality of goods – raised strong doubts about their abolition and sparked a debate both inside and outside of government that went on for decade...