A People’s History Of The United States Howard Zinn 1492-Present Chapter 13: The Socialist Challenge By: Tamar Fournouzian CH S 245 OL-14004

What is Socialism? Tamar Fournouzian any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods  a :  a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b :  a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state   a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done -http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/socialism Tamar Fournouzian

Socialist Writers Tamar Fournouzian These writers were among the most famous of American literary figures, whose books were read by millions. “It spoke of socialism, of how beautiful life might be if people cooperatively owned and worked and shared the riches of the earth.” –Upton Sinclair (Zinn, pp. 323) Other famous Socialist authors include: Jack London, Theodore Dreiser, Frank Norris, and more. Tamar Fournouzian

Taylorism Frederick W. Taylor, March 20, 1856 – March 21, 1915 American Mechanical Engineer Taylor: a steel company foreman, who closely analyzed every job in the mill, and worked out a system of finely detailed division of labor, increased mechanization, and piecework wage systems, to increase production and profits. (Zinn, pp. 324) Tamar Fournouzian

Purpose of Taylorism Tamar Fournouzian Taylorism was ultimately called “Scientific Management” the purpose of it was to make workers interchangeable, able to do simple tasks that the new division of labor required. Taylorism with its simplified unskilled jobs, became more feasible. Tamar Fournouzian

Working Conditions 500 garment factories in New York Working conditions were dangerous and harmful. Summers would be too hot and winters would be too cold. A woman recalls the working conditions in one factory, “dangerously broken stairways…windows few and so dirty…The wooden floors that were swept once a year…Hardly any other light but the gas jets burning by day and by night…the filthy, malodorous lavatory in the dark hall. No fresh drinking water…mice and roaches…(Zinn, pp. 325) Tamar Fournouzian

Labor Unions Tamar Fournouzian Sweatshops were the staple working environments which pushed for the development of unions. The employees worked for a much cheaper wage than others. They even had child labor Shortly after the turn of the century, there were 2 million members of labor unions: one in fourteen workers Women were only 1/5 of the labor work force in the United States. However, only 1/100 women belonged to a union. Tamar Fournouzian

Triangle Shirtwaist Company Winter of 1909, women organized and decided to strike because of the poor working conditions. The union had hoped three thousand would join the strike. Twenty thousand walked out. Every day a thousand new members joined the union, the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. (Zinn, pp. 325-326) Fire at Triangle Shirtwaist Company: March 25, 1911 146 deaths and 71 injuries No proper fire escape Garment workers couldn’t escape in time

Unionization Major Union Growth International Ladies Garment Workers Union: mostly colored women American Federation of Labor Industrial Workers of the World Big threat to the capitalist class Goal: “One Big Union” and “Direct Action” Tamar Fournouzian

American Federation of Labor Founded December 8, 1886 One of the first federations of the labor unions in the United States Almost all male, white, and skilled workers. Racist and exclusionary of immigrants and women “the Negro was excluded from most AFL unions.” (Zinn pp. 328) Tamar Fournouzian

Wobblies I.W.W. I.W.W. aimed at organizing all workers in any industry into “One Big Union", undivided by sex, race or skills. Women, foreigners, black workers, the lowliest and most unskilled workers were included when a factory or mine was organized. Spoke of "direct action"...industrial democracy. The I.W.W. people were militant and courageous. Tamar Fournouzian

Socialist Women Unions were also started by women workers. The Teachers League Women’s Trade Union Industrial League In 1900 there were 500,000 women office workers, they were also switch board operators, store workers, nurses and half a million were teachers. Around the turn of the century strikes were multiplying. By 1904 there were 4,000 strikes a year. Tamar Fournouzian

Teachers League that fought against the automatic firing of women who became pregnant. The following “Rules for Female Teachers” were posted by the school board of one town in Massachusetts: Do not get married. Do not leave town at any time without permission of the school board. Do not keep company with men. Be home between the hours of 8 P.M. and 6 A.M. Do not loiter downtown in ice cream stores Do not smoke. Do not get into a carriage with any man except your father or brother. Do not dress in bright colors. Do not dye your hair. Do not wear any dress more than two inches above the ankle. Tamar Fournouzian

As law and military personnel kept taking the side of the few hundred rich Americans, the thousands who worked hard for little pay, needed to think of a way to fight for their rights. They began thinking of socialism. The strongest Socialist state organization was in Oklahoma in 1914. Tamar Fournouzian

References Zinn, Howard. A People’s History of the United States HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY Merriam Webster Dictionary Tamar Fournouzian