In Germany, freedom of trade was gradually introduced during the first half of the 19th century.This change within public law of course was linked to a promotion of the private law principle of freedom of contract.298 In1810a Prussian statute on the administration of trade and crafts (Ge. Gewerbe) laid down that the relationship between independent entrepreneurs and their journeymen, assistants and apprentices should be based exclusively on free agreements.This principle was upheld in the Gewerbeordnung of 1845, in the North German Union’s regulation of 1869 as well as in the system that developed after unification in 1871.299 Freedom of contract was expected to replace the previous public rules concerning labour relationships and the barriers within the law of persons were to be discarded. In spite of this official approach of laissez-faire, the state tended to increase its intervention in the parties’ transactions. p a r t i v, c h a p t e r 6 148 . Germany 6. 3. 1 the patriarchal roots of the we lfare state and the bgb 298 Hedemann 1910, p. 7; Münchener Handbuch zum Arbeitsrecht 1992, p. 16. 299 “…blos durch freienVertrag bestimmt”. Gesetz ueber die polizeilichenVerhältnisse der Gewerbe, 2.11. 1810, section8;“Die Festsetzung derVerhältnisse zwischen den selbstständigen Gewerbebetribenden und ihren Gesellen, Gehülfen und Lehrlingen ist gegenstand freier Uebereinkunft.” Der Preussischen Allgemeinen Gewerbeordnung 17. 1. 1845, section 134; Die Gewerbeordnung des Norddeutschen Bundes 21. 7. 1869, section 105.
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