Summary:
With the development of technology in the British woolen industry during the early nineteenth century, new machines began doing the work of people in this field, and many workers lost their jobs. The Luddites consisted of many of these jobless men and engaged in vandalizing the very machines that made their skills obsolete. While the Luddites' tactics can be considered deplorable, their reasons for their actions elicit sympathy.
The Luddites
In the year 1812 there was a series of violent disturbances in Yorkshire, when new machines were introduced into the woolen industry. The new developments in technology meant that many workers found themselves made redundant and out work. Feeling helpless and struggling to feed their families many of these jobless men bonded together to make a union and in their frustration vandalized these machines. They are called the Luddites.
With the introduction of the steam engine, a series of new inventions followed that changed the way that business was run in England. The woolen industry, one of the England's largest exports, was no exception. Work in Britain revolved around the manufacture of wool. The changes meant that while productivity was greatly increased, many skilled people were put out of work and were therefore left without enough money to feed their families.
Families that used to have meat every day were now forced to eat porridge and skim milk. Many had to endure the grueling and embarrassing process of standing in queue for the poor relief, just so they had enough money for the most basic of essentials.
The manufacturers, however, were of the opinion that change is inevitable. They believed that the jobless workers should attempt to learn a new skill and keep up with the times instead of complaining. After all, it isn't the boss's responsibility to provide work for these people? Why should they employ a large amount of people to do the same work in a week that can be done in a single day by these new machines?
Enok Taylor, the man responsible for the creation of tools and the new machines hired people to create the machines. He claims that the changes reduce the cost for the manufacturers by about 80% or more.
The workers had a very different outlook on the subject. For them, their work is their way of life. Whole families were involved in the trade. They would work in cottages with the men doing the weaving and the women the spinning. These skills would be passed down from generation to generation. The workers claim that the wool that is handmade is of a much better quality. They also believe that they have a right to work and that therefore the bosses are being unfair in firing them.
Angered at having lost their jobs, the redundant workers created a union which was illegal in those times. In order to become a Luddite, the applicants had to first go through an initiation. In these initiations a group of hooded judges would stand around the applicant and make him swear a religious oath. Swearing this oath meant that they were risking transportation or even death. The oath comprised of two main points. Namely, that they would look after the rights of labor and that they were against the exploitation of the bosses. Their methods of debate against the choice of the bosses would be either by persuasive argument or if need be, to destroy the machines that were wrecking their lives. The applicants were also made to swear they that were prepared to kill any traitors.
A magistrate called Joseph Radcliff claimed that the Luddites were seen with violent weapons such as Muskets and that the union members would often loot from gun stores. According to him, England was facing nothing less than revolution (treason).
The Luddites would end up going on rampages and smash up many of the machines which were replacing them. Luddism gradually spear to Yorkshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire. In February and March, 1812, factories were attacked by Luddites in Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield, and Leeds. Each time they vandalized the machines they would say, "Enok made them (machines) and Enok will break them (tools).
I believe that both sides have credible arguments. On the one hand, the bosses are only doing what they think is right for their business, but on the other the lives of the redundant workers are being destroyed and they didn't have enough food to feed their families. I don't agree with what the Luddites did, but I understand why they did it and I sympathize with their plight.
This is the complete article, containing 689 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
