Discussion 3, ch 16 - Assignment Example

AMERICAN HISTORY DISCUSSION 3, CH 16 The United s grew wealthy in the late 1800s as industrialization took place. Please write a 4-6 sentence paragraph explaining two ways in which businesses grew wealthier. How did they do it? There were a number of factors that accounted for the grew in wealth experienced in the late 1800s as industrialization took place and two of these factors are the use of advanced machinery and cheap labor. In the late 1800s, several inventors through their scientific ingenuity created sophisticated machinery that was needed by industries to advance their course of manufacturing.

The coming of the advanced forms of machinery ensured that there was expansion with the rate of production, given that efficiency was improved as a lot more could be achieved within very short and limited time frames. The advanced forms of machinery also ensured that production within industries was more effective because the machinery came to cater for deficiencies with manpower such as human errors and fatigue, which slowed down production (Weathers, 73). Labor was another factor that aided in the growth in wealth as labor accounts as an important input to production, meaning that the more labor there is, the more the level of production can be guaranteed.

Earlier, industries spent so much on labor, making it impossible to employ a good number of laborers to man the industries and thus affecting production negatively. 2. Describe two ways in which employees organized during this time period as described by the authors of this textbook. Write your description in a paragraph of 4-6 sentences. As there was being an improvement in the economic wealth of the country as informed by the industrialization, it was expected that employees who were behind this growth would also benefit accordingly.

This however was not the situation as employees had a strong feeling that they were being used unfairly in working more than they were paid or remunerated with. As this happened, it became important that the employees make their voices and grievances heard by appropriate quarters and authorities who could address their issues. One way by which the employee force did this was to form national labor unions that represented the collective voice of the employee force (Kautsky, 34). Another way for the labor force, mostly through the unions available to stage strikes, which prevented them from giving off their expertise and skills all together so that their employers would be aware of their challenges and address these appropriately.

These two approaches were generally positive and influential as the interests of the employees became generally represented through the approaches they used. 3. In the late 1800s in the United States, workers transitioned from mostly agricultural workers to mostly industrial workers, and you have read the history of that transition. Today, workers in the United States are transitioning from manufacturing workers to service and technology workers. In your historically informed opinion, should the low wage workers of today in food service, retail and other service industries organize, strike and fight for higher wages, better treatment at work and more guarantees from employers?

Write a 4-6 sentence paragraph. Most certainly, in labor, what was not right in the past cannot be considered right today and so the situation whereby employees in the service sectors of today are receiving lower wages than they deserve cannot be considered to be acceptable. In line with this, it is important for the employees to make their voices clearly heard by the right authorities who would then act on their needs by providing them with what they deserve. Saying this, it is common knowledge that a voice that employers, including the government understands and listens to most is strikes and demonstrations.

Having said this, it will be important for employees to exercise their democratic rights to demonstration and strike to ensure that what they deserve is given to them. All said and done, these demonstrations and strikes should be done in very peaceful manner and devoid of any forms of violence so that not excesses will be recorded. Until such moves are made, employers are likely to continue taking unfair advantage of employees. References Kautsky, Karl. 1901. "Trades Unions and Socialism". International Socialist Review 1 (10), 33-45. Print. Keene J. D., Cornell S.

and ODonnell E. T. Visions America 2nd Edition A history of the United States. New York: Pearson. 2012. Print. Weathers, Chester. Business and Labor. Chichester, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2009. Print. Response to Nadia The use of advance machinery was one of the points that I raised myself while answering this question. I therefore agree with you very strongly that employing the use of advanced machinery was one of the major factors that led to the industrial success, which was translated into the larger economic success of the country.

I agree with you when you say that employees were at a disadvantage during the industrial revolution. This is certainly an ironic situation because as there was industrial boom, the employees should have been the first people to benefit. The use of the national labor union to defend their rights is thus considered acceptable. I really find your argument interesting when you relate remuneration to qualification of a worker. But having said this, it is important to acknowledge also that even those with the highest forms of degrees are also treated unfairly at times and so the use of strikes and demonstrations must be encouraged in peaceful manner.

Response to Ally Promotion of local brands was very important for the economic growth of the 1800s and so if you talk of encouraging of consumption by the American people, I would perfectly agree with you on this. Safety at the workplace must always be taken as a serious issue when talking of the interest and protection of workers. With this said, it believe it was appropriate that you make mention of absence of safety as one reason that the employees at the time needed to demonstrate and go on strike.

I do not agree with you when you say workers must not strike or do anything drastic to raise their pay because pay raises should occur through hard work and dedication to job. My argument is that if the hard work and dedication you are referring to was not already in place, America would not be the world’s largest economy.