Employers and trade unions in the late nineteenth century in Britain, France and Germany

In France, trade unions remained much more scattered until the end of the nineteenth century, and a clear principle of organisation did not evolve although at least a root organisation emerged. A clear nationwide employers' organization, solely committed to all aspects of labour policies, did not evolve. Whether British employers exerted strong political influence or not, at least they did not doubt that collaboration was necessary, and that the system of industrial relations had led to some sort of stability at plant level and within the branches of industry. In the German case, it must be said that during the first half of the nineteenth century, a certain French influence was felt although, since the foundation of the Reich, efforts at centralising the organisational capacity succeeded comparatively soon, and resulted in a system of leading organisations of the different branches, and a national organisation combining all entrepreneurial effort, after the turn of the centuries.