<Tr> <Td> Source: Jean - Pierre Dormois, The French Economy in the Twentieth Century (2004) p 31 </Td> </Tr> <P> The overall growth rate of the French economy shows a very strong performance in the 1920s and again in the 1960s, with poor performances in the 1910s, 1930s, and 1990s . By the end of the 19th century, France had joined the industrial era . But it had joined late, and comparatively it had lost in the competition with its war - footing neighbor Germany, and with its trade - based chief rival across the Channel, Great Britain . France had great industry and infrastructure and factories, by 1900; but compared to Germany and Britain was "behind", so that people spoke of and French politicians complained of "the French backwardness (le retard français)". </P> <P> In 1870 the first signs of French industrial and general economic decline started to appear, compared to their new neighbor in Bismarck's newly united Germany, appeared during the Franco - Prussian War . The total defeat of France was less a demonstration of French weakness than it was of German militarism and industrial strength; this was in contrast to France's occupation of Germany during the Napoleonic wars . A huge sum had to be paid to Germany to end the war which provided the latter with even more capital . </P> <P> By 1914, however, German armament and general industrialization had out - distanced not only France but all of its neighbors . Just before 1914, France was producing about one - sixth as much Coal as Germany, made less than a third as much Pig iron and a quarter as much Steel . In a scenario recounted best in Barbara Tuchman's book The Guns of August, France together with Germany's other competitors had entered a "war - footing" rearmament race which, once again, temporarily stimulated spending while reducing saving and investment . </P>

It is a french movement in the late 19th and early 20 th century