The Persistence of worker’s savoir-faire in industrialized Europe

It is usually thought that workers' know-how (savoir-faire) consists only of technical or manual skills, which have gradually been reduced or replaced by technological advances since the industrial revolution. However, workers' specific skills, i.e. their savoir-faire, has rather transformed and adapted to this day, in relation to a number of significant historical developments, including the transition from craft to industry, the second industrial revolution, and the end of the Fordist cycle. In this historical perspective, the endurance of savoir-faire and respect for the 'rules of art' also demonstrates the ethical and political dimension of the changes at stake.