The Making of the Citizen-Worker: Labour and the Borders of Politics in Post-revolutionary France

In the 19th century, European societies considered themselves "civilizations of work" due to the political and industrial revolutions. This book explores how work became so central to citizenship and social recognition in the French context, focusing on the early 1830s, marked by a pandemic crisis and the first consequences of industrialization. It combines the analysis of political institutions and social movements to retrace the rise of a labor-based social contract revolving around the "citizen-worker" as the quintessential subject of rights.

Format: Hardback
Length: 162 pages
Publication date: 31 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

European societies in the 19th century began to view themselves as "civilizations of work," a shift that emerged in the aftermath of political and industrial revolutions. Labour, as a human activity and condition, gradually assumed a central role in shaping systems of citizenship and social recognition. This transformation was profound, as work came to embody a fundamental principle of order, progress, and governance.

The book explores this question by examining the French context during the long transition between the 1789 and 1848 revolutions, with a specific focus on a period in the early 1830s marked by a pandemic crisis and the initial impacts of industrialization. By combining the analysis of political institutions and social movements, the book seeks to trace the rise of a labour-based social contract centered around the "citizen-worker" as the defining subject of rights.

In the first part of the book, the authors highlight the pivotal role played by the genesis of the modern social sciences. They view this process as a political one that established work as an "object" of governance and scientific investigation. This shift facilitated the adoption of pioneering measures of welfare that were centered around work conditions, marking a significant departure from previous systems that prioritized feudal or religious principles.

The second part of the book delves into the emergence of the concept of the "working class" and the modern labour movement. These developments structured the world of work as a collective political "subject," challenging traditional hierarchies and power structures. The authors argue that the working class emerged as a result of the social and economic transformations brought about by industrialization, and it played a crucial role in shaping the political and social landscape of the 19th century.

Chapter 2 of the book is available for free download as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com. This chapter provides an in-depth exploration of the themes discussed in the book and offers valuable insights into the historical and social context of the 19th-century transition.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032301143