Do Now To put today into perspective:

Homework Previous reading: Read pages 739 starting with The Reform Movements Spreads to the end of the section. Show me your notes! Answer the following questions (in your notes) on page 742: Question #14, 15, 18 & 19. All due on Thursday.

Question Why do most Americans fear or hate the ideas of Marx, John Stuart Mill and even Robert Owen? Please explain and be ready to share. Oh yeah this is for a quick quiz grade! Answer – Most people fear them because they feel that what is the point of working hard if your hard earned money and investments can be given away potentially to someone either not willing to as hard as others or even work at all.

Socialism and its radical side Who is this person? Karl Marx – Along with a man named Engels, created a book called the Communist Manifesto. In it he discussed the workers (middle class aka the haves not) which he called the Proletariat. He also discussed the upper class or the “haves” which he termed the Bourgeoisie. For things to change there needed to be a revolt by the Proletariat overthrowing the Bourgeoisie and all that supported them.

Capitalism vs. Socialism Cap = Capitalism and Soc.= Socialism 1. Cap= individuals own property and the means of production. Soc. The state should own the property and production 2. Cap.= Progress occurs when individuals follow their own self-interest (desire). Soc.=Progress occurs when the community cooperates together for the good of everyone 3. Cap.= Businesses compete with other business for the consumer’s money. This keeps prices down. Soc. = No need for competition if the state is regulating everything. Prices will be set.

Capitalism vs. Socialism 4. Cap =Consumers compete to buy the best goods and services at the lowest prices. Soc. = Distribute goods according to each person’s needs. 5. Cap.= Government should not interfere with the economy. Soc. = Distribute goods according to each person’s needs. (yeah, it repeats!) Under Marx, he felt that large businesses would drive smaller companies out of business, leaving a smaller number of big companies to dictate prices at poor people’s cost. The Proletariat would overthrow the factory owners and the government.

Overthrow Private property would cease to exist. The workers would equally be in control of production and other costs (salaries) and share in the profits together. The government would serve as “Dictator of the Proletariat” setting up and running schools and other managerial roles and then eventually dissolve itself or become almost invisible. The Communist Manifesto came out in book in 1848~1849. Eventually gained momentum in China (early 20 th Century and then later in 1930’s and 1940’s, then Russia during World War I, North Korea, Cuba and Vietnam).

Afterwards The workers began gather and organize. The banding together was called a Union. The power of the unions was in “collective bargaining”. The ability to agree to a contract and improve wages. If the union does not agree then they go on strike and the factory shuts down. The more skilled the group (carpenters, Iron workers,..) the better the leverage with the factory. The development of the unions was slow and difficult

Formation of the unions In England, the government opposed unions. They felt the unions would harm the economy and ultimately the society. The British passed the Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800 forbade union memberships and striking. Unions formed anyway and eventually the British government repealed the law. In the US the first union was AFL (American Federation of Labor). They won a series of successful strikes for higher pay and shorter hours.

Reforms The unions forced politicians and factories to improve conditions. New laws were passed – for example in England, they passed the Factory Act of It made it illegal to hire children under age 9. Children between 9 and 12 could not work more than 8 hours a day. Children 13 to 17 could not work more than 12 hours a day. In 1842, the Mines Laws were passed stopping women and children from working in the mines.