Le Chapelier Law

The Le Chapelier Law, enacted in France in 1791 during the French Revolution, aimed to suppress workers' associations, guilds, and protests. Its goal was to promote individual entrepreneurship by preventing workers from uniting to demand better conditions or wages. Essentially, it made it illegal for workers and employers to form unions or strikes, emphasizing free enterprise but restricting collective labor actions. The law reflected revolutionary ideals of individual rights but also limited workers' ability to organize for collective bargaining or protections.