The National Labor Relations Act at Fifty: Roots Revisited, Heart Rediscovered

1985 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the enactment of the National Labor Relations Act (The Wagner Act). The passage of time, however, seems to have shrouded the history of the NLRA and obscured the policies that it was enacted to serve. This comment explores the history and purposes of the NLRA. Through analysis of historical antecedents, contemporary events and legislative history, the author suggests that the NLRA was enacted to serve three primary purposes: to encourage economic recovery, to foster Industrial Peace and to establish Industrial Democracy. After discussing each of these purposes, the author concludes that they are as important to America today as they were in 1935, and that their significance cannot be neglected