November 14, 2011
How the 19th Century’s Occupy Wall Street Found a Message—and Won Corporate greed. Businesses amassing fortunes at the expense of workers. Frustrated, disgruntled, fed up masses. Protests, strikes, and violence. Think I’m talking about Zuccotti Park? Actually, I’m describing the landscape in the 1880s during the height of the Industrial Revolution, but it sounds eerily familiar. At that time, workers were struggling with horrible work conditions: 14-hour workdays and six day work weeks, children laboring in factories, unhealthy and unsafe work conditions, and low pay. The workers eventually hit a breaking point. They knew that their work environment was unhealthy and that their lifestyles were unsustainable. They were slaving away and making dismal pay, while the industrialists prospered like never before. They were at the losing end of extreme income inequality. They had a low standard of living, and no time for civic and community participation, due to their long hours. They were the 99% of the 19th century. And they were fed up. Read more.

How the 19th Century’s Occupy Wall Street Found a Message—and Won

Corporate greed. Businesses amassing fortunes at the expense of workers. Frustrated, disgruntled, fed up masses. Protests, strikes, and violence.

Think I’m talking about Zuccotti Park? Actually, I’m describing the landscape in the 1880s during the height of the Industrial Revolution, but it sounds eerily familiar. At that time, workers were struggling with horrible work conditions: 14-hour workdays and six day work weeks, children laboring in factories, unhealthy and unsafe work conditions, and low pay.

The workers eventually hit a breaking point. They knew that their work environment was unhealthy and that their lifestyles were unsustainable. They were slaving away and making dismal pay, while the industrialists prospered like never before. They were at the losing end of extreme income inequality. They had a low standard of living, and no time for civic and community participation, due to their long hours. They were the 99% of the 19th century. And they were fed up. Read more.

11:20am
(View comments) 
(Notes: 85)
  
Filed under: history politics occupy wall street 
  1. justiceman reblogged this from theatlantic
  2. theredshoes reblogged this from theatlantic
  3. themagzilla reblogged this from theatlantic
  4. trampledunderfoot reblogged this from theatlantic
  5. dilettantescheme reblogged this from theatlantic
  6. phochebrowntumblr reblogged this from theatlantic
  7. petalfold reblogged this from theatlantic
  8. the-rhythm-the-rebel reblogged this from theelectricrelaxation
  9. theelectricrelaxation reblogged this from w-o-r-t-h-y
  10. w-o-r-t-h-y reblogged this from theatlantic
  11. catchmysteeze reblogged this from theatlantic
  12. lifeinthemargin reblogged this from theatlantic
  13. imsixfeetfromtheedge reblogged this from theatlantic
  14. phinupham reblogged this from theatlantic
  15. kindagamey reblogged this from theatlantic
  16. ohomes reblogged this from theatlantic
  17. caitlinpriscillajoyce reblogged this from theatlantic
  18. onmanliness reblogged this from theatlantic
Blog comments powered by Disqus