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Labor and The Industrial Revolution

Labor and The Industrial Revolution. Social Inequality. By 1900 2% of Americans owned 1/3 of Nations Wealth 10% of Americans owned ¾ of Nations wealth 90% of society was poor Social Mobility – the ability to improve ones economic status was common, but “rages to riches” was very uncommon

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Labor and The Industrial Revolution

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  1. Labor and The Industrial Revolution

  2. Social Inequality • By 1900 • 2% of Americans owned 1/3 of Nations Wealth • 10% of Americans owned ¾ of Nations wealth • 90% of society was poor • Social Mobility – the ability to improve ones economic status was common, but “rages to riches” was very uncommon • High demand for unskilled workers – children, women, and immigrants entered work force

  3. Social Inequality – Continued • Working conditions • extremely poor and unhealthy • Average wage $3.50 hour by modern standards • 60 hour work week • American had highest accident rate in world • Only country with no workers compensation • Living conditions reflected income and working conditions

  4. Child Labor • Poverty forced families to send their children to work • 1880 – 1/6 of children in US worked full time • As young as 8 years old • Same working conditions as adults • Received no education • Little parental nurturing or play • Often employed in textile mills or coal mines • 3X more likely to be injured then adult workers • Less likely to reach age of 20 then non-working children

  5. Child Labor Continued

  6. Seeds of Unionism • Union – a collection of workers who uses their collective bargaining power to create better working conditions and better pay • Craft Unions – open to only workers of a certain skill or industry • Labor Unions – open to all workers in an industry regardless work performed • Industrialist and Politicians were against Unions – respected property rights more then rights of labor • Working conditions and pay encourage workers to form unions

  7. Seeds of Unionism Continued • 3 events impacted public view of early unions • Molly Maguires – used violence and terrorism to improve working conditions – 24 members convicted of violence • Railroad Strike of 1877 – first nation wide strike, railroad employees protested falling pay, mob violence erupted and destroyed property, 100 people died • Sand-Lot Incident – Labor protest that turned into anti-Chinese riot, Chinese blamed for hard economic times in California

  8. Seeds of Unionism Continued • The violence and failure of the three events demonstrated the need labor organize national unions • Unions began 1850’s, but took off during the Civil War

  9. Knights of Labor • Founded by Uriah S. Stephens in 1869 • Labor Union – all could join • Preferred boycotts to strikes • Lobbied for • Bureaus of Labor Statistics – keeps data • Mechanic’s Lien Laws – ensures salary payments • Foran Act – against labor imports by companies • Eight Hour Workday • Paper Currency • Equal pay for equal work • 1886 – 700,000 members • Greatest success organizing unskilled and non-traditional workers

  10. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) • Founded by Samuel Gompers in 1886 • Craft Union – feared unskilled workers would hurt their bargaining power • Focused on economic gains • Higher Wages • Shorter Hours • Better working Conditions • Avoided utopian ideas or politics • Preferred Strikes • 1920 – 4 million • Greatest success was organizing skilled workers

  11. Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) • AKA – The Wobblies • Founded in 1905 by Daniel De Leon • Must be founded on“class struggle” and the “conflict between the capitalist class and the working class” • More radical then Knights and AFL • Members were on the fringes of society and labeled anarchists, bums, and criminals • WWI ended the union, when most leaders were jailed for antiwar statements • Left behind rich folklore

  12. Socialism in America • Capitalism – means of production are owned by individuals – promotes individual progress • Socialism – means of production are owned by government – promotes collective equality • Major Unions did not ally themselves with socialism • Socialist Labor Party – attracted mainly German immigrants • Daniel De Leon dominated the party, vowed to unite labor as a political party and abolish government when in power, and labor unions will control society

  13. Socialism in America continued • Eugene Debs • More successful then De Leon at building a socialist movement in America – Father of American Socialism • Founded the American Railroad Union • Helped found IWW • Spent time in Prison for role in the Pullman Strike • Founded Social Democratic Party • 1900 election received 96,000 votes • 1904, 400,000 votes • 1912, 900,000 votes or 6% of popular vote

  14. The End

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