The Wagner Act, the New Deal, and Why Unions Went Wrong

How a 1935 law reshaped labor—and why its legacy still burdens workers, employers, and the economy today.

Clifford Ribner examines the Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act, 1935) and the New Deal, showing how they transformed labor relations and why their regulatory legacy still distorts today’s economy. He explains the common-law backdrop (contracts, property, torts), the principle of “tortious interference,” and how union rules changed the employer–employee relationship.

This video also highlights Henry Morgenthau Jr.’s 1939 warning about the failures of New Deal spending and FDR’s 1937 caution against public-sector unions—evidence that even New Deal insiders understood the dangers.

If you care about economic freedom, incentives, and real-world outcomes for workers, Ribner makes the case for why these laws still matter.

▶ More at https://CliffordRibner.com
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