Yeah, the operators of company towns were violent pricks who didn't much like it that workers increasingly had better options than to die in a mine. That didn't change the economics though. Neither did committing violence against them, which was not only already illegal even then but also wildly unpopular.
There's nothing better for workers than a competitive market. What's the boss going to do when the workers have the option to quit and get a better job somewhere else?
Get legislation passed like “right to work”, conspire with other business leaders to suppress worker wages/benefits, make striking illegal, etc etc etc.
That is also what happened to the luddites. Adopt technology or the police will arrest you with loaded guns and you go to prison or get hanged. This part is left out to make the Luddites look foolish and technological progress the hero of the story.
> Adopt technology or the police will arrest you with loaded guns and you go to prison or get hanged
That really not true. Nobody forced them to adopt anything (in a literal way). It’s just that automated factories could produce more faster while paying their workers much less since they didn’t require skilled craftsmen.
Also artisans generally used a guild/cartel model which artificially constricted supply which inflated their incomes.
> out to make the Luddites look foolish and technological progress the hero of the story.
I thought it was pretty obvious to everyone that they were breaking machines because they eliminated demand for high skilled/high pay labour?
AnthonyMouse|2 years ago
There's nothing better for workers than a competitive market. What's the boss going to do when the workers have the option to quit and get a better job somewhere else?
conception|2 years ago
imtringued|2 years ago
ffgjgf1|2 years ago
That really not true. Nobody forced them to adopt anything (in a literal way). It’s just that automated factories could produce more faster while paying their workers much less since they didn’t require skilled craftsmen.
Also artisans generally used a guild/cartel model which artificially constricted supply which inflated their incomes.
> out to make the Luddites look foolish and technological progress the hero of the story.
I thought it was pretty obvious to everyone that they were breaking machines because they eliminated demand for high skilled/high pay labour?