Module 7: Resistance

Resistance

Between 1870 and 1920, the United States experienced profound industrial upheaval, driven by rapid technological advancements, the growth of large corporations, and mounting labor unrest. The rise of the Robber Barons, powerful industrialists like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan, epitomized the growing divide between the wealthy elite and the working class. While these magnates amassed vast fortunes, many workers toiled in grueling conditions, with long hours, low wages, and dangerous work environments. This disparity led to the rise of labor movements and unions, which began to demand better wages, safer conditions, and the right to organize. The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), founded in 1905, represented a more radical faction within the labor movement, advocating for workers to unite across industries to overthrow the capitalist system, which they saw as exploitative. The Socialist Party, with leaders like Eugene Victor Debs, further advanced the ideas of socialism, calling for the collective ownership of the means of production and the end of capitalist exploitation.

Labor struggles often erupted into violent confrontations, with strikes and protests becoming flashpoints for wider societal conflict. One of the most infamous events of this period was the Haymarket Square bombing of 1886 in Chicago, which occurred during a peaceful labor rally calling for an eight-hour workday. A bomb was thrown at the police, killing several officers and civilians. Although the perpetrators were never conclusively identified, the incident led to a crackdown on labor activists, with anarchists and socialists unfairly blamed for the violence. The Pinkertons, a private security firm known for its role in suppressing strikes, were frequently employed by companies to break up worker resistance, using violent tactics to intimidate or kill labor leaders. In the case of the Everett Massacre of 1916, Pinkertons were involved in a bloody confrontation when union workers organizing for better wages in Washington state were shot at by police and company goons, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries.

Throughout this era, strikes and industrial violence underscored the growing antagonism between workers and business leaders. Eugene Victor Debs, a prominent labor leader and Socialist, became a symbol of the struggle for workers' rights, particularly after his leadership during the Pullman Strike of 1894, which was violently suppressed by federal troops. Despite the brutal tactics used to crush these uprisings, including military intervention and the deployment of Pinkerton agents, the labor movement gained traction. The Socialist Party and the IWW helped radicalize large segments of the working class, pushing for reforms that would later lead to the establishment of labor laws, including regulations on working hours, child labor, and workplace safety. Though the period between 1870 and 1920 was marked by intense industrial violence and social unrest, it laid the foundation for future labor reforms and shifted the political landscape toward greater recognition of workers' rights.