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By the late 19th century, pressure from the new mass parties of the organized working class and ‘scientific’ managers led employers to rethink their treatment of workers. Taylorism gained ground as a means of streamlining production in the wake of World War I, sacrificing worker’s autonomy and knowledge of the production process in the name of economic efficiency. The outbreak of the Russian Revolution inspired a generation of workers around the world, but political repression in the Soviet Union thwarted dreams of liberation for many. Finally, the rise of fascism in Italy and Germany led to devastating defeat for the worker’s movement, as the rhetoric of worker empowerment was quickly abandoned when these regimes came to power.

“Stan Neumann weaves the common thread of a tragic and largely forgotten European epic. Without any condescension, he delivers a fascinating, poignant portrait of those who make our industrial society go round.” —Libération

“This is the sort of history you don’t usually find in schools.” —Oregon Arts Watch

“With historical interest, intense archive footage, a wealth of personal accounts (workers, historians, philosophers, etc.) and integrated animation sequences as informative as they are entertaining, A History of the European Working Class is poised to become a classic. It’s like a passionate political, social and economic history lesson where the facts (struggling working conditions, employer-worker relations) also leave room for emotion.” —Le Monde

“A History of the European Working Class offers an extremely welcome trip into the past we can use to face the labor struggles of the future with a determined, informed eye.” —L’Humanité

“A work of impressive rigor.” —Télérama

“Delivers a dazzling reinterpretation of three hundred years of history. This documentary series reveals just how much our contemporary societies have been molded by the history of workers.” —Lemediaplus.com

“An engaged and essential documentary series.” —L’Usine Nouvelle

“Divided into four parts, A History of the European Working Class is masterful and passionate.” —La Libre.be

“A remarkable documentary TV series... extremely well researched... smart, must-see series more than worth your time.” —FulvueDrive-in.com