Bibliography on Work

10 references, on work, is in-depth and recognized reflections on work, employment and unemployment. The authors approach these themes from a social, but also economic and philosophical angle.

Without reading the entire works, you can refer to summaries, or more detailed explanations of these works. Reading these works 3 weeks before the competition would indeed be a great challenge, even if the knowledge they provide would be a great advantage for your copy.

A well placed and justified reference to one of these books is a half point guaranteed. And this half point can do wonders in a competition where the candidates are thousands, the averages very tight.

1. L’atelier et le chronomètre — Benjamin Coriat: Essay on Taylorism, Fordism and Mass Production
2. La question syndicale — Pierre Rosanvallon: From the union question, Rosanvallon analyzes the management of social issues in France,
3. unemployment, fate or necessity? – Pierre Cahuc and André Zylberberg: Why a certain rate of unemployment is necessary for growth, what policies to adopt on unemployment, and what is the new nature of jobs and unemployment
4. paradoxical unemployment – Philippe d’Iribarne : Unemployment is specific to each country, it results from the principles of competition but above all from new social logic
5. Work in France. — Olivier Marchand, Claude Thélot : Analysis of the evolution of work in France since the Industrial Revolution
6. The End of Work – Jeremy Rifkin: Studies the mutations of work in the contemporary world, notably the decline of mass employment in production and distribution, the reduction of working hours and the development of the tertiary sector.
7. Retour sur la condition ouvrière — Stéphane Butte and Michel Pialoux: A sociological study of the working class and its transformations via a specific case: the Peugeot factory in Sochaux
8. Le travail en miettes — G. Friedmann: A critical look at the effects of assembly-line work and the division of labor
9. La machine et le chômage — Alfred Sauvy: A favorable view of technical progress and employment, the productivity gains allowed by the machine are used to reduce prices or increase wages
10. Work, a disappearing value – Dominique Méda: work has become a central value, the question is what is the place of work in society, for the individual and for the community

See also:
→ For François Guizot, the vice of France was its contempt for work
→ Quotes on work