The labour movement which invariably accompa­nies the capitalist system was rather slow and irregular in France, in com­parison to England and Germany. Labour combinations were forbidden by Napoleon and as a result no labour movement could develop in France. It was only after 1864 that the combinations of workmen were legalised.

Thereafter the trade union movement in France made a steady progress. In 1895 the General Confederation of Labour, one of the largest and the most influential labour organizations in the world, was formed at Li- mogoes. However, this organization was primarily concerned with bring­ing the working men together in the economic domain and work for their emancipation.