Academic Views on the Economics of Construction: French Variations (1920-1970)

Depending on whether they date from the 1920s or the 1940s and later, doctoral theses using the compared economics of construction projects as a central argument are characterised by a considerable difference in tone and content. During the 1920s, single family homes were recommended whereas during the 1940s and later, it was housing blocks that were advocated. Although not at all based on concrete observations, the interpretation that prevailed as from the 1940s has nevertheless continued to reign and contributed to justifying the policy then chosen by the public authorities in terms of new buildings. However, this interpretation has also contributed to maintaining a gap between the consensus of the elites and the popular perception of the problem.