That Union Thing
Origins of the Labor Movement…Part 1: the Colonial Period
In the 1600’s and 1700’s, America was mostly rural and most people were self-employed as artisans or farmers. The abundance of land prevented the emergence of a feudal or class structure, and the feeling of independence and equality led to a strengthening of the movement for democracy.
Things were quite different in the Colonial Period. The general feeling was that "dire necessity compels people to toil hard’" so maximum wages were established, and work days typically lasted ten hours or more. The central government established tariffs protecting the domestic market from foreign competition.
However, as the supply of land diminished and cities and the corresponding need for wage laborers grew, things began to change. While indentured servants and slaves were used for labor, even free craftsmen (carpenters, masons, tailors, etc.) began hiring apprentices and journeymen and forming trade societies. These early "mutual aid societies" were generally philanthropic (not economic) organizations though, as masters and apprentices usually had the same goals and did not work in a true "boss/employee" atmosphere.
Industrial progress carried the possibility of a higher living standard, but laborers were sometimes cut off. With the rise of mercantile capitalists, the gap would widen and eventually workers would have to take collective action to maintain the independence and equality that brought them to America.
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