Sunday, October 28, 2007

Wage Workers and the Labor Movement

The Industrial Revolution changed the nature of work by giving employees minor control over their working conditions. Wageworkers such as carpenters, stonecutters, and cabinentmakers had specialized skills and worried about their increasing length of their workday. Their employers demanded even longer days during the summer and in result 600 carpenters went on strike in Boston. Although this strike failed, carpenters in Philadelphia won a similar strike and founded the Working Men's Party, which wanted the abolition of banks, equal taxation, and universal public education.
Artisans such as shoesmakers, printers, furniture makers, and weavers, were in danger of unemployment due to industrialization in factories. The new industrial system divided the artisan class into self-employed craftsmen and wage-earning workers. Wage earners merged together to form unions to protest for better working conditions and higher pay. Union leaders proposed a labor theory of value which stated that the price of a good should reflect the labor required to make it and most of the money should go to the producer. Women were equally as active in protesting better wages. By the 1850's, machines produced more and more goods, and the need for employees decreased prompting employers to lay off workers.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

The industrial revolution brought many Americans unemployment, however it did bring about the first unions. It was these unions that ensured the safety of jobs for many workers.

Whitney Gilliland said...

I think that the Industrial Revolution was a mixed bag of things. On the one hand, American economy was booming. On the other hand, women, children, and men of lower status were being abused. A lot of people were forced to work ridiculous hours. the normal joy that was usually afforded to children was taken away, which is really sad. The entire family dynamic for the lower classes was completely reworked because peopl ewould get home from work, eat and go to bed-or they would be stuck on boardinghouses, which was really poor living.

Justin Goodwin said...

I by no means support the wealthy businessmen taking advantage of the poor wage workers. By forming organized groups the workers that were mistreated did the only thing they could to help themselves at the time. The situation that was bad for the workers in the short run turned out to be good for the country in the long run.

Candice Carmichael said...

Although the Industrial Revolution was hard on many Americans at the time, it had many positive outcomes for the future. During it, many women and children were abused in the work place and it was a very difficult time for many. However, it encouraged unions which now ensures safety in the work place for many.

Candice Carmichael said...

Although the Industrial Revolution was hard on many Americans at the time, it had many positive outcomes for the future. During it, many women and children were abused in the work place and it was a very difficult time for many. However, it encouraged unions which now ensures safety in the work place for many.

Cayli Fuhrman said...

I believe that although the economy was booming, this was an all time low for the employees in American factories. The industrial revolution created a lot of great things, but the working enviroments of the time were very poor. Without the formation of unions these type of conditions provided by selfish employers could have continued for a much longer time.

lm2gray said...

I agree that the industrial revolution put several people out of work, but it also helped unify people into forming unions which gave a lot of companies stability

mckenzie said...

The Industrial Revolution was a time of dramatic change, from hand tools and handmade items, to products which were mass produced by machines. Workers became more productive, and since more items were manufactured, prices dropped, making exclusive and hard to make items available to the poor and not only the rich and elite. Life generally improved, but the industrial revolution also proved harmful. Pollution increased, working conditions were harmful, and capitalists employed women and young children, making them work long and hard hours. The industrial revolution was a time for change. For the better, or for the worse.

Joshua Smith said...

I agree that the unfortunate treatment of women and children was not a good product of the Industrial Revolution, but ultimately it was a good thing for our countries' ecomnomy.

Jared Flewelling said...

While I think today unions are stupid and bad for everybody, in this time they were necessary in some cases to save lives.

David Sielert said...

The industrial revolution helped further the drive for money and financial status. In the colonial times there was more of a care for the individual but in this new industrial age that took the backburner to fast and effective productivity.

kasey5 said...

I think the industrial revolution was a bad environment and created bad situations at the time, but it was a process of trail and error, once the people realized what needed to be fixed they started taking the necessary steps to make it better. Without the bad we wouldnt be where we are today.

mikecw23 said...

Unlike most people, I support the wealthy business men. I strongly believe in social Darwinism, and I felt they conducted their business fairly.