Abstract

The last decade of the 19th century was characterized by the rise of labor movements across industrialized societies, especially in France and the United States. The growing criticisms of classical liberalism and the drifts of the capitalist system pushed conservatives from both sides of the Atlantic to think about new means to heal the sufferings due to the industrial order. Through the analysis of similar stances beyond traditional political barriers, the purpose of this article is to outline the main features of a coherent conservative discourse related to the social question, understood as well as the labor problem, and questioning the idea of American or French exceptionalism.