What was driving the estimation of general-equilibrium models with rationing (GEMR)? Our article explores this issue by focusing on the research led by a group of French econometricians aka the “ENSAE’s Band” (named in reference to the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration). We show that the estimation of GEMR aimed to empirically discriminate between equilibrium and disequilibrium macroeconomics and provide a policyanalysis tool. Since both projects required addressing the microfoundations ofmacroeconomics, our article also shows that there was an applied side to what Kevin D. Hoover called the “general-equilibrium program” (2012).