HISTORICAL STUDY ON REDUCTION OF WORK HOUR AND LEISURE IN FRANCE

1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 08630073
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Economic history
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: HIROTA Isao The University of Tokyo, Department of Economics, Professor, 大学院・経済学研究科, 教授 (90055236)
• Project Period (FY): 1996 – 1998
• Keywords: LEISURE / REDUCTION OF WORK HOUR / SAINT-MONDAY / SUNDAY / WEEKLY REST LAW / LABOR INTERNATIONALISM / EIGHT HOUR LAW / ORGANISATION OF LEISURE

Research Abstract

The object of this study is to clarify relations between the 8 hour law (april 1919) and weekly rest law (july 1906). Generally, one considers that the eight hour Law was epoch-making event for the worker's leisure, because this law first gave free and leisure time to workers, and "organisation of worker's leisure" became political and social question. But Why and How this law gave free time to workers? Suficient answer is not yet given to this question. So I tried to explain this reason as follows ; Eight hour law permitted to the weekly rest law of 1906 realized effectively. But Why eight hour law let weekly rest law instituionalized? Worker at this time in general did house work and went shopping on Sunday. So this habit made the realization of Sunday weekly rest very difficult, because they requested opening of shops on Sunday and obliged workers in the service sector to ork on Sunday. With the introduction of eight hour law, worker could to go shopinng and do house work weekdays.