History
This passage, written by economist David A.Wells in 1889, describes changes to work during the Industrial Age. The modern manufacturing system has been brought into a condition [similar] to that of a military organization, in which the individual no longer works as independently as formerly, but as a private in the ranks, obeying orders, keeping step, as it were, to the tap of the drum, and having nothing to say as to the plan of his work, of its final completion, or of its ultimate use and distribution. In short, the people who work in the modern factory are, as a rule, taught to do one thing -to perform one and generally a simple operation; and when there is no more of that kind of work to do, they are in a measure helpless. The result has been... [the destruction of] the pride which the workman formerly took in his work... What is one result of the changes described in this passage?Workers were paid more as their values to companies increased.Workers became interchangeable, and they were fired when injured or unable to work.Workers became more loyal to companies who rewarded their creativity.Workers were celebrated for their individual skills, and the need for labor unions declined.
