Rise of the Worker Communism

Rise of the Worker “By 1850, some of the worst abuses of the Industrial Revolution were slowly being corrected. From a modern point of view, however, workers still had many grievances. A number of people tried to solve these problems in new ways. At first, many reformers had come from the middle and upper classes. For example, a few British aristocrats championed laws limiting child labor. Such upper-class reformers saw themselves as protecting the common people from the greed of new entrepreneurs. In the late 1800s, however, working people themselves became more active in politics. Gradually, they made their voices heard.”

What is capitalism and what is the problem with capitalism? Question.

Capitalism and it’s Flaws “The rich get richer and poor get poorer.” An example with landowners and workers: More capital? Capital More land. More Capital! How do these workers get any sort of power?

“The hand that will rule the world… One big union.”

Why a hammer and sickle? Why the color red?

What are some problems with society today? Question.

What is Communism? What is a “commune”? So, what is communism? A group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities. So, what is communism? A political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs. So, who was Karl Marx? Wrote the Communist Manifesto in 1848 that spoke of ending class disputes. Society was divided into two groups: The “haves” and the “have nots”. The “haves” controlled the capitol. The “have nots” worked to make the “haves” wealthier. What three classes existed during the Industrial Revolution and still exist today? Upper, Middle, and Lower. THE GOAL OF COMMUNISM IS TO BE CLASSLESS… AND STATELESS.

Why is communism so frightening to Americans and capitalists? Question.

How Do We Become Communist? Capitalism (private ownership and wealth) Socialism (Government regulates production and distribution) Communism (All property is publically owned, operated, and wealth is shared)

Question. How do we achieve a perfect society? Sir Thomas More is credited with coming up with what idea for society? Question.

Rise of the Worker The misery and poverty of the working class that resulted from the Industrial Revolution shocked a British reformer named Robert Owen. Although a factory owner himself, Owen criticized the new industrial society as “a miserly selfish system… [To survive], you must be a tyrant or slave. It is all about individual wealth and power…” Owen sought to develop a model for improving conditions for workers. After years of serving as a shop clerk, Owen [would come to own] a cotton mill with 2,000 employees in New Lanark, Scotland.

Rise of the Worker What did Owen do? Did it work? 1. Built homes near his factory and rented them at a low rate. 2. Banished child labor and provided free education. 3. Built a “utopia” in Indiana, USA. Did it work? No. Constant fighting caused it to break up after four years.

Question. So, is communism possible? What if someone is lazy and doesn’t work as hard as you? But what if an international problem needs to be addressed? Can a nation run efficiently without a leader or government? But communism begs that all are equal and share the wealth. Yes, but it is close to impossible. So, is communism possible? Question.

So, Was Marx Right? No. “Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains.” Marx and his predictions were wrong. 1. Capitalism did not collapse, but it has come close. 2. The disparity between rich and poor did not grow. 3. The quality of life for the impoverished did not decrease. 4. Democratic governments can make peace. But communism will rise in 1917…