Collective taxis in 1930s Paris: A contribution to an archaeology of ‘uberization’

Abstract

The recent ‘uberization’ of Paris taxis has brought major, long-standing issues back to the surface: A historic analysis of how the Paris taxi system has functioned over the last century offers a clear explanation of why it is difficult to hail a taxi in the middle of the street, as opposed to New York for example. Paris taxis, which have been the subject of never-ending discussion, were associated during their early years with a heroic Great War mythology, and were connected to the Parisian car industry’s beginnings. Collective use of taxis existed in the 1930s; however, these services disappeared as a result of severe monopolistic regulation. Using different sources, this paper aims to define why and how collective taxis grew and failed in 1930s Paris.