Figure 1.--. |
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France in the 19th century had the same problems associated with child labor as other countries as they industrialized. These are best known in England because of Charles Dickens, but similar problems were experienced in other countries such as France. France was not as industrialized as England, but with the advent of the Third Republic (1870), it had a reformist Government which addressed a range of social issues. We are not familiar yet, however, with the efforts in France to regulate child labor.
A French reader writes, "The scandals about children working in the mines and manufacturing factories in the 19th century resulted in several laws passed by the Government as well as the adoption of educational reforms. By the late-19th century French children 6 to 12 years of age were required to attend school as a result of compulsory attendance laws. If they worked outside schooltime, it might be simple, occasional work such as shining shoes and above all not dangerous mine and factory work. Still in the 1890s, there were some manufaturers that illegally employed children less 13 years of age. They took the risk of being exposed by he labor inspection ( Inspection du travail ). Here is a 1892 example pf a police's inspector report about a manufacturer sanctionned for employing six boys less 13 years old."
We note an 1848 labor law, but do not yet have any details about it. The only specific law we have noted is the Jules Ferry Act (1882). We also notice a 1892 law, but again have no details. Closly related to child labor laws is the establishment of a public school system and compulsory attendance laws. We believe that the problem was addresses sooner in France than in Britain and America, but do not yet have the historical details.
France was a still largely rural country at the beginning of the 19th century. The Industrial Revolution began in Britain and onlky gradually spread to the Cointinent. Child labor was widespread, but primarily involved rural farm labor. Incredibly many presentations on child labor on the internet and in scghool textbooks begin with the Industrial Revolutuion. The idea is that child labor began with the Induistrial Revolutiion and Capitalism. This is of course absured. Child labor has existed even before the dawn of civiliztion and in the 19th century was more pronounced in the areas untouvhed by the Industrual Revolutiion and free market capitalism. In rural ares almost all children worked, often from an early age unless they canme from a well-to-do land owning family. What the Industrial Revolution and Capitalism chanh=nged ws to create wealth so countries like France could affoird to prohibit child labor and to build public school sysrenmsoffering an education to all childten. There were of course abuses until the child labor laws were passed, but the idea that child labor was somnething new broughtv by the Industrial Revolution is a fiction created by Socialist influenced writers.
A French reader tells us that it was only in 1830s that the first debates on child labor in mines and factories began. The Guizot Law required municipalities with more than 500 people to have a school with a teacher (1833). This was not a child labor law as such, but free public education has an affect on child labor. Children in school are not seeking jobs. Compliance was a problem, but it wa a major step in developing the French public school system.
France passed its first child labor law (March 21, 1841). The law prohibited the employment of children under 8 years of age. We believecthis meant industrial employment. Wecsuspect that young children were stillminvolved in fam work. We note an 1848 labor law, but do not yet have any details about it.
France passed a law limiting working time to 10 hours for children below the age of 14 years and 12 hours for children 14-16 years of age (1851).
We note a 1866 oil on wood panel was painted by French genre artist Pierre Jean Edmond Castan. He Depicts a new cabin boy on the deck of a ship. Ships at the time were still mostly sai ships. The boy is looking back at the port and home he has just left, presumably waving goodbye to his mother. He wears what looks like two shirts, awhite shirt and a heavier red shirt. His pand are wide and naggy. There is another cabin boy at the left side with an older man smoking a pipe. Many of Castan's paintings feature children, sometimes in bitter-sweet situations like this one.
France was not as industrialized as England, but with the advent of the Third Republic (1870), it had a reformist Government which addressed a range of social issues. We are not familiar yet, however, with the efforts in France to regulate child labor. A French reader writes, "The scandals about children working in the mines and manufacturing factories in the 19th century resulted in several laws passed by the Government as well as the adoption of educational reforms. By the late-19th century French children 6 to 12 years of age were required to attend school as a result of compulsory attendance laws. If they worked outside schooltime, it might be simple, occasional work such as shineing shoes and above all not dangerous mine and factory work. The age limit for employing children was loweed to 12 years (1874). Night work was forbidden. Sunday as a day off from work became mandatory for workers under the age of 16 years. Enforcement of these laws was still inadequate, but the first step was passing the laws. This not only raised public awareness, but layed the foundation for further improve of enforcement. Another major step was compulsory school attendance.
The school for children( both boy and girl) became compulsory with the Inspectorate Control Labor (Inspecteur du travail) (1874). Compulsory school attendance cof course means that the children had to be cin school anbd therefore could not work. It also greatly faclitated enforcement of the laws limiting child labor.
Each child had to have a personal book for 'aptitude' to work (Carnet d'aptitude au travail). These Inspectors were much dreaded, even to this day. The French Republic also instituted new rules and regulatiins addressing the health of children. These were pursued through the expanding public school system.
The only specific law we have noted is the Jules Ferry Act (1882). We also notice a 1892 law, but again have no details.
Still in the 1890s, there were some manufaturers that illegally employed children less 13 years of age. They took the risk of being exposed by he labor inspection ( Inspection du travail ). Here is a 1892 example pf a police's inspector report about a manufacturer sanctionned for employing six boys less 13 years old."
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