Luddites

1

England’s Distress in 1811-1813

• In 1812 the government probably had reason to be fearful:– a large part of the army was overseas, mainly in the

Peninsular with Wellington;– the country was fighting not only the French but also

the Americans– England was experiencing the worst trade depression

since the 1760s and people were suffering great hardship. as evidenced by the Sheffield riots of 1812

• Source: http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/victorian/history/riots/luddites.html

Causes

Poverty – Harsh economic times because of the Napoleonic wars

Non-enforcement of laws meant to protect workersMinimum wage bill 1808 (decreased wages)Deteriorating working conditions

Combination Acts – Banned trade unions

Mechanical Looms and spinners replacing skilled craftsman

Mills

Working Conditions in

the Mills

Who?

19th Century English Handicraftsmen

Ned Ludd – apprentice who smashed his bosses shearing frame with a hammer

Mythic Hero?

Ned Ludd mythical person?

Ned Ludd was reputed to live in Sherwood Forest.

They said Ned Ludd was an idiot boy

That all he could do was wreck and destroy,

And He turned to his workmates and said:

Death to Machines. They tread on our future

and they stamp on our dreams.

Robert Calvert

The cause of it all?

The type of instrument destroyed by Ned Ludd

A Stocking frame was a machine that knitted stocking or socks.

1812 – Frame-Breaking Act (capital crime)

The Luddite Rebellion

RiotsNottinhamshire – Nov 1811West Riding of Yorkshire – Jan 1812Lancashire – March 1813

Sutton’s Mill, Nottinghamshire

Government Response

Felt it had to establish control

Provide good business climate

Repress and control unruly labor groups

No attempt to alleviate cause of social disruption

The End of Luddism

Male workers gained the right to vote

Trade unions became legal

49 luddites killed in riots by government forces

24 were executed

34 transported to Australia

More than 20 others given long term prison sentences

Political Consequences

• Changed the views of many influential people– Especially Lord Byron who spoke at the trials of several

luddites, and Earl Fitzwilliam, Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

• Brought rights of workers to the attention of the public

• Began debate about industrialization

• Look at both the positive and negative effects of industrialization

• Govt. could no longer ignore the plight of workers

• Technology is never neutral