History & Area Studies / Thematic History / Economic History & Industrialization

France's 40-Hour Workweek Disaster: How a Good Intention Backfired in the Great Depression

Jérémie Cohen-Setton, Joshua K. Hausman, Johannes F. Wieland

In 1936, France's Popular Front government launched a radical experiment: cut the workweek from 48 to 40 hours and raise wages, all to fight the Great Depression. Sound like a perfect plan? It wasn't. This video unpacks a groundbreaking study by economists Jérémie Cohen-Setton, Joshua K. Hausman, and Johannes F. Wieland, who dug into historical data to reveal a shocking truth: those 'pro-worker' policies actually crushed production, fueled inflation without growth, and even challenged core economic models. They show that the 40-hour law alone slashed output by up to 15% and turned a recovery into stagnation. Expect counterintuitive insights about why supply-side limits can backfire, and what that means for modern debates on work hours, wages, and stimulus. If you've ever wondered why good intentions sometimes lead to economic trainwrecks, this is for you.