The Struggles of Labor 2

The life of a 19th-century American industrial worker was very difficult. Wages were low, hours were long, and conditions were unsafe. Workers earned little from the nation’s wealth, and women and children, who made up a large part of the workforce, were paid even less than men. Economic crises frequently hit the country, leading to lower wages and high unemployment. Meanwhile, technological advancements reduced the need for skilled workers, while many immigrants sought jobs, increasing competition among unskilled laborers.

Before 1874, there was almost no labor legislation in the country until Massachusetts passed a law limiting women and child factory workers to 10-hour days. Significant government involvement only began in the 1930s, as local authorities were often more responsive to wealthy industrialists than to workers. Laissez-faire capitalism created significant wealth for a few but also fostered poverty for many, which social thinkers deemed an inevitable part of progress.

American workers, especially skilled ones, might have lived better than their European counterparts, but the social costs were high. By 1900, the U. S. had the highest job-related death rate among industrial nations. Children in the workforce doubled from 1870 to 1900, and many workers earned less than a livable wage.

The Knights of Labor, formed in 1869, was the first significant effort to organize workers. It grew rapidly after a successful strike but soon declined. The American Federation of Labor (AFL), established later, focused on skilled workers and sought to improve wages, hours, and conditions without involving politics. Labor history was marked by violence, with notable strikes like the Great Rail Strike of 1877 and the Haymarket incident. The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) later gained prominence but faced severe government crackdowns during World War I.