It is with Jean Fourastié, professor with the Conservatoire national of arts and trades (Cnam), which one owes the expression “Thirty Glorious” in reference to the “Glorious Three”, revolutionary days of 1830. Strictly speaking , the Thirty Glorious ones qualifies the period of strong growth in France between 1945 and 1973. It is thus the case of France which makes it possible to seize, at best, the direction of the subtitle of the book of Jean Fourastié, the “invisible revolution”. Lato sensu , the term qualifies the period of strong growth between 1945 and 1973 in the worldwide of OECD which knew an average annual increase in their production from approximately 5%. The Thirty Glorious ones were a true “silent revolution” as it were carrying economic and social changes.
The international institutional framework
On leaving the war, the rebuilding of a system international currency is essential. With this intention, the conference of Bretton Woods meets in July 1944. During this conference, are opposed the British projects, defended by John Maynard Keynes, and American, defended by Harry Dexter White. Finally, the project supported by the United States is essential and devotes the hegemony of the dollar in the system international currency.
Moreover, the conference of Havana in 1946, “conference of the United Nations for the trade and employment”, underlines the will to decompartmentalize, in a progressive way, the international exchanges. In answer to this will, GATT, General Agreement one Tariffs and Trade (or French GATT, General agreement on the customs tariffs) is set up at the conference of Geneva in 1947. The objective is to reduce by successive “rounds” the customs tariffs, which will result in to support the international exchanges, supporting the economic growth of the countries developed with market economy (PDEM).
In addition, the European countries engaged in the conflict, but also Japan, are devastated. Enormous needs for rebuilding its. In this context, the general George Marshall proposes, in the name of the United States, a help in the European countries in a speech of June 5th, 1947. The American Congress votes, in April 1948, the European Recovery Program , the Marshall plan which distributes nearly 13 billion $, mainly in the form of gifts, with the countries having accepted the assistance. The Marshall plan, if he meets a double political and economic aim; that which consists in damming up the Communism (“Containment”) and with that which consisted in avoiding the overproduction which threatens the US economy, was “the irreplaceable starter of the investment” according to Denis Woronoff. Indeed, the exchange-value resulting from the Marshall plan was useful, in particular in France, to finance the investment, allowing a modernization of the productive apparatus and thus an increase in the productivity.
Characteristics of the growth
High rates of economic growth
search for summary tables of growth for the period
The economic growth according to war is general; it affects the worldwide developed with market economy, including the United Kingdom, however considered as “the sick man”. If growth rates observed on average are raised everywhere, it is advisable to note disparities between each country. Indeed, over the period 1950-1973, average annual growth rate is of 5,64% in Italy, 6,0% in FRG and 9,29% in Japan, so that one qualifies “economic miracles” the growth of these countries. The average annual growth rate of France (5,05%) is slightly lower while that of the United States (3,93%) and of the United Kingdom (2,93%) are largely weaker. Moreover, the real GDP per capita grows annually in similar proportions: 4,8% in Italy, 5,0% in FRG, 8,4% in Japan, 4,1% in France, 2,2% in the United States and 2,5% in the United Kingdom.
Lastly, this economic strong growth is characterized by its regularity throughout the period 1945-1973. The weak noted recessions do not call into question this regularity so that the period of the Thirty Glorious ones lets suppose the attenuated character of the cyclic fluctuations, characteristic of the 19th century.
A growth marked by a strong inflation…
research tables rate of inflation
One should not retain of the Thirty Glorious only its very high digits of growth. It is necessary, indeed, to give the growth in its context, i.e. an inflationary context. At the beginning of period, the inflation, which touches in particular the European countries and Japan, is the fruit of the shortage resulting from the war. Thereafter, inflation is consecutive with the economic growth; it is generated by the wage increases, authorized under the trade-union pressure, and thus by the rise in the production costs but also by the budget policies, being able to be described as “keynésiennes”. Only the periods, short, of recessions see a deceleration of inflation.
… but also by full employment
research tables unemployment rate
The inflation generated by the economic growth of “the Thirty Glorious ones” underlines the attachment of the various countries to full employment more than with the maintenance of the price stability. The theoretical justification rests on the Courbe from Philips. This one stipulates that toa high rate of inflation corresponds a low unemployment rate, and conversely.
The growth of “the Thirty Glorious ones”, if it translates a strong inflation, is thus synonymous with low unemployment rates in the whole of the PDEM. For example, between 1950 and 1973, the unemployment rate of Japan is established at 1,3%, that of France at 1,8%, that of FRG will be even lower than 1% on the end of the period while that of the United States is established to approximately 4,5%.
Interior and external imbalances
First of all, if inflation constitutes the most visible imbalance, one should not neglect interior imbalances like the unequal development of the various areas or the inequality of the incomes.
At the beginning of the period, external imbalances translate the economic superiority of the United States on Europe and Japan. This is why one raises a deficit of the balances current transactions European countries and a surplus of that of the United States. Thereafter, the difference between the United States and Europe will be marked before the rectification in the latter. Nevertheless, the domination of the US economy is undeniable during the period of “the Thirty Glorious ones”. In addition, external imbalances result in the need for many European countries to resort to the devaluation of their currency.
“The Thirty Glorious ones” in France
Rebuilding and modernization (1945-1958)
August 1st
The opening of the French economy on outside (1958-1973)
August 1st
The period of growth of 1945-1973 in the rest of the world
The United States
August 1st
The United Kingdom
August 1stGermany
See the article detailed on the German economic miracle
Japan
See the article detailed on the economic miracle Japanese
Theoretical interpretations of the growth of “the Thirty Glorious ones”
August 1st
Generated and limiting transformations
Technological advance
August 1st
Economic progress
August 1st
Social progress
August 1st
Sociological evolution
The rural migration of the peasants
Until 1975, agriculture makes a silent revolution. The share of the population working in the Primary sector passed from 27.5% in 1950 to 11.4% in 1970. The modernization of agriculture (mechanization, appearance of the artificial fertilizers, selection of the plants and the races of animals,…) cause an increase in the outputs and material changes. The competition, poked by world Overproduction (the neutral the United States and countries (Australia, Argentina,…) their productions had increased to counterbalance the fall of production of the countries of Europe. When those find their levels of production of pre-war period, there is overproduction), leads the least profitable exploitations to closing.
The most experienced peasants transform themselves into truths heads of undertakings, and are involved in debt to increase and modernize their exploitations. The others leave the rural world and leave to work downtown.
The emergence of the industrial production of mass
Assembly line work, fordism, Taylorism: the assembly line work spreads during the Thirty Glorious ones. It consists in training semi-skilled workers, who make only one task, that a quite specific work in the company without occupying themselves or intervening on the remainder of the production. This mode of production is called the fordism, inspired of Taylorism. The workmen have a station which they do not leave, where work their is provided thanks to travelators or carriers. Work of OS requires not studies specific, which explains weak remuneration that these workmen touch, but makes it possible everyone to work and touch wages. The assembly line work is monotonous, simple and abrutissant. The fordism requires Main-d'oeuvre enormously to create only one product, but n the other hand guarantees very a good quality of product thanks to the specialization of the workers. This mode of production was enormously used for the creation of electric household appliances, and it was very present at Japan. Japan not being a Welfare state, the insurances unemployments, disease and disability do not exist. Labor being very abundant, the Japanese workmen must work much with an low-income to ensure their place, allowing the products not to be expensive on the market. OS were primarily women and immigrants not having never followed studies.
In opposition to the rise of OS, professional workmen, or the White collars, also start to take importance. Those, having carried out studies, are seen entrusting stations of frameworks and tasks to great responsibilities. These COp touch very good wages, can buy houses, cars, pay studies with their children, whereas OS must remain in the remote suburbs, having little hope to see their children taking importance in the company. -->
In France
From 1946 to 1950, France paralyzed by an economy and infrastructures in ruin do not know real a growth and the living conditions are very difficult, because of the high cost of the life. The Rationing, always present until 47-48 and the housing shortage accentuate the difficulties of still ravaged people by the war.
The economic situation, very alarming (the French GDP of 1945 accounts for 40% of its level of pre-war period), focuses the attention of the public authorities. One attends under the direction of GPRF the nationalization of whole pieces of the economy, which it is a question of punishing the contractors having collaborated (Renault) or of controlling the economic raising of France (Charbonnages de France). The economic need is beyond political cleavages. One sees the PCF and the CGT to condemn the strikes. It acts, according to Maurice Thorez, of " to gain the battle of the production". The French diplomacy does not spare its sorrow: in 1946, Leon Blum goes to the the United States to obtain from Byrnes, Minister for Finance American, the cancellation of part of the French war debts at the United States in exchange of the opening of the French market to the American cinema.
Jean Monnet, which took part in the negotiations, is placed at the head of the Commission of the in January 1946 Plan. It belongs to him to lead, with the head of from now on the vast public sector, the economic raising of the France. Its five-year plan, planned for 1947, aims to reach by 1950 the level of production of 1929 (the best year of pre-war period) and to exceed it of 25% in 1952. The stress is laid on coal, electricity, the tractors, steel and cement. The choice of these priorities indicates the economic state of the country. The Monnet plan is not solvent in the French financial statement of the time, because it requires many imports which France cannot regulate for lack of dollars. The Marshall plan appears almost providential on this level, since France receives approximately 2.500.000 000 of dollars of the United States, which enables him to fill the " partly; dollar gap" and thus not to reflect the cost of the plan on the value of the frankly, which is depreciated already regularly because of a which gallops inflation: between 1945 and the 1948 money wages triple but the purchasing power moves back of a third.
The startup of the plan is thus chaotic, it is necessary for the French to assume the long ones and hard day's works to touch only thin pays. Coupled to a tended international context (outline of the Cold war), the situation degenerates into violent strikes in October - November 1947. However, when arrives the hour of the assessment in 1952, one notes an undeniable success in the realization of the objectives of the plan since in all the fields completion rates are close even beyond 100%. Food rationing ended in 1949, year when the rise of the wages exceeds finally that of the prices. The rebuilding of the war damagees is in right track. Only inflation is maintained on alarming levels. At the beginning of the year 1952, the come to power of a coalition of center-right directed by Antoine Pinay starts a control of the inflation which is contained during 3 years grace, inter alia, with a reduction in the public investments it is true less necessary than before and with the transfer of 80% of the costs of the Guerre of Indo-China on American finances as from 1950. It is cleared up and expanding that France founds at the sides of the Italy, of the FRG, of the Belgium, the Netherlands and the Luxembourg ECSC, on April 18th, 1951.
The growth is also supported by the diffusion of new technologies, like the Transistor or the plastics, consecutive with the rise of the purchasing power, until 1973. It is a economic boom :
- development of the Industry (the majority of the cities have their industrial park),
- massive development of mechanization,
- development of the sectors of the building and public works, necessary for the rebuilding of the country, and the modernization of its infrastructures,
- massive development of exports,
- full-employment economy (one misses even labor),
- increase in the standard of living,
- increase in the Salaire S,
- Inflation rather little controlled,
- successive Dévaluation S,
The French are increasingly numerous with becoming owners of their logement.
Leisures and the Tourism développent.
Major consequences affect economic fabric of the country, with a Industrialization of new areas, and especially the company itself. The urban areas are particularly touched, their change is expressed in the political life, for example by the means of the municipal creation of action groups, which want to promote the local Urbanisme and cultural policies.
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