Economics: The Labor Movement


Figure 1.--

The new industrial workers of the 19th and 19th centuries worked long hours for very low wages. Before the industrial Revolution workers who often had valuable skills could bargain with their employers that they often knew personally. With the Industrial Revolution, machines dominated the work place. Employers could easily hire and train workers in plants who were generallu unskilled workers. The labor movement developed a workers began to join together in an effort to bargain collectively to improve working conditions. Wages of course were a key concern, but there were many others such as hours and compensation for injuries at work. Early attemps to orgnize faced many difficulties. Employers refused to accept the unions and considered them a violation of their property rights. Courts often declared unions illegal and the police and military used to suppress strikes. Companies hired often brutal security forces to control workers. The labor movement developed differently in various countries. The general pattern was that industrialits refused to recognize unions and attempted to break unions that organized strikes, often with violence. Governments often intervened to support the industrialists. The labor movement itself was split. Some radical unions were organized. Eugene V. Debs and others organized the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) (1905). The IWW was not concered with collective barganing, but rather with radical social change. There were also divisions between trade unions and industrial unions. And union leaders had a range of social attitudes. Some union leaders especially in America believed in free enterprise, but just wanted a reaonable share of the earnings in wages. European labor unions had more political orientations ranging from Socialist to Communist. Generally speaking the Communist political leaders were more radical and had a more radical politcal agenda. After the Communist Revolution in Russia, Communist labor leaders came under the control of the Soviet inteligence services. Gradually after World War I, labor unions in most Western European countries and America won collective bargaining rights. In America this was one of the achievements of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. The Depression put workers at great disadvantge because there were so many unemployed seeking jobs. One of the pillars of the New Deal was the The National Labor Relations Act (1935).

The Industrial Revolution (1740/60-1830)

The Industrial Revolution had a fundamentl impact on Western Europe. It imensely increased productivity. This created great wealth for some. It lowered the price of manufactured goods bring many products within the purchasing power of workers. The new industrial processes both created jobs and made many traditional jobs obsolete. The Industrial Revolution impacted both the economy and culture as a whole in many unforseen ways. The position of skilled labor, however, was udermined by the industrial revolution and the mechanization of industry. Industrial processes were carried out by machinery, reducing the need for skilled craftmen. Industrialists began hiring children and women because they would work for low wages. The exploitation of child labor became a serious problem abd did not begin to be addressed until the mid-19th century.

New Indutrial Workers

The new industrial workers of the 19th and 19th centuries worked long hours for very low wages. Before the industrial Revolution workers who often had valuable skills could bargain with their employers that they often knew personally. With the Industrial Revolution, machines dominated the work place. Employers could easily hire and train workers in plants who were generallu unskilled workers.

Early Unions

The labor movement developed a workers began to join together in an effort to bargain collectively to improve working conditions. Wages of course were a key concern, but there were many others such as hours and compensation for injuries at work.

Obstacles

Early attemps to orgnize faced many difficulties. Employers refused to accept the unions and considered them a violation of their property rights. Courts often declared unions illegal and the police and military used to suppress strikes. Companies hired often brutal security forces to control workers.

Country Trends

The labor movement developed differently in various countries. A range of factors were involved here. The Industrial Revolution proceeded a different speeds and different directions in vrious countries. The legl and cultural environment also varied. The general pattern was that industrialits refused to recognize unions and attempted to break unions that organized strikes, often with violence. Governments often intervened to support the industrialists. Here we are mostly familiar with the American labor movement, but hopefully readers in other countries will provide us information about labor developments in their countries. Gradually after World War I, labor unions in most Western European countries and America won collective bargaining rights. In America this was one of the achievements of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. The Depression put workers at great disadvantge because there were so many unemployed seeking jobs. One of the pillars of the New Deal was the The National Labor Relations Act (1935). The often with violence. The British labour movement developed differently in a more class-bound society. Marxist doctrine was more important, although the Communists garnered only limited support. The French and German labor movements were deeply split beteen Communists and Socialists. After World War I, Soviet control of the Comitern made them the domminant force in Communist parties throughout Europe, but not the Socialists. Russia was just beginnng to industrialize and was mostly an agricultural nation. Labnor unions turned to conspiratoril politic be ause the Tsarist Governmnt n Okran secret policde, supressed both labor organizing znd democratic political activity.

Different Types of Unions

The labor movement itself was split. Some radical unions were organized. Eugene V. Debs and others organized the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) (1905). The IWW was not concerned with collective barganing, but rather with radical social change. There were also divisions between trade unions and industrial unions. And union leaders had a range of social attitudes. Some union leaders especially in America believed in free enterprise, but just wanted a reaonable share of the earnings in wages. European labor unions had more political orientations ranging from Socialist to Communist. Generally speaking the Communist political leaders were more radical and had a more radical politcal agenda. After the Communist Revolution in Russia, Communist labor leaders came under the control of the Soviet inteligence services.







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Created: 4:26 AM 8/4/2006
Last updated: 12:08 AM 11/25/2014