Overview
This lecture explores the socioeconomic changes in labor during the Gilded Age (1865-1898), focusing on class divisions, working conditions, and the rise of labor unions.
Wealth and Class Divisions
- Industrial capitalism created a large gap between wealthy business owners and the working poor during the Gilded Age.
- The wealthy elite displayed their riches through "conspicuous consumption," such as building extravagant homes like the Biltmore House.
- Economic downturns (Panics of 1873 and 1893) hurt workers' wages but had little effect on the wealthy.
- Despite low wages, mass production lowered prices and increased access to goods, raising living standards for many workers.
Working Conditions and Labor Struggles
- Factory, railroad, and mining jobs were dangerous and resulted in many injuries and deaths among workers.
- Individual workers had little power to demand better wages or safety due to the availability of cheap immigrant labor.
- Workers formed labor unions to increase leverage in negotiations with employers.
Major Strikes and Labor Union Actions
- The Great Railroad Strike of 1877 involved wage cuts, widespread strikes, violence, and federal intervention; over 100 people died.
- The Pullman Strike saw workers walk out after wage cuts, leading to a broader boycott and government intervention after trains with federal mail were blocked; union leaders were jailed.
Key Labor Unions
- The Knights of Labor, founded in 1881, welcomed black laborers and women, aiming to destroy trusts/monopolies and abolish child labor.
- Child labor was widespread, with children making up about 18% of the workforce by the late nineteenth century.
- The Haymarket Square Riot (1886), involving a bomb at a labor protest, led to negative public perception and the decline of the Knights of Labor.
- The American Federation of Labor (AFL), led by Samuel Gompers, focused on higher wages and safer working conditions, rising to one million members by 1901.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Conspicuous Consumption — Displaying wealth to the public through extravagant spending.
- Labor Union — An organized group of workers formed to protect and further their rights and interests.
- Strike — A work stoppage by employees to protest working conditions or wages.
- Child Labor — The employment of children in industry or business, especially in hazardous conditions.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the main goals and events associated with the Knights of Labor and the AFL.
- Study major labor strikes (Great Railroad Strike of 1877, Pullman Strike, Haymarket Riot) for their causes and outcomes.
- Prepare for exam questions on socioeconomic changes in the Gilded Age related to labor.