Customer Reviews

The Luddite Rebellion

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The term, "Luddite", is one that is invoked, at present, when rapid and momentous changes in technology are discussed. It also is often misused, Brian Bailey has written, "The Luddite Rebellion", in a concise history that gives historical substance and related facts to the term. Taken in its entirety I very much enjoyed the work, and it appears from the notes to be well documented. The Author is also scrupulous in pointing out when he switches from known fact to his interpretation or personal opinion. It was amongst these opinions that I found the only fault with the work. The Author's views stated as opinion and based upon documentary fact are fine. However at times he made very clear where his sympathies lay, and it was these moments the cadence of the book was broken, as well as confidence in pure objectivity.

Violence against machinery that escalated to the death of those on both sides of the issue is really a tragic story. The legal reforms that the Prince Regent answered the protesters with were inept, and unjustifiably extreme. This Prince was the Son of the King who amongst other events was known for, "The Madness Of King George". The stupidity of The Regent's actions was consistent with the madness of the Father. Lord Byron gave the most eloquent condemnation and summation of the underlying issues during his maiden speech in the House of Lords. Happily for the reader the speech is reproduced in its entirety as an appendix to the book.

While the book focuses primarily on a brief time span and a few counties in the early part of the 19th Century, the issues that drove these groups to violence are both much older and continue to the present. Advances in technology that make the worker redundant in a worst case, or lowers his financial utility at best, will always be fought in one manner or another. Add to this the willingness of those in power to often maximize the negative impact on their labor through greed, or by breaking laws, or conducting themselves so that new law must be written to stop them, and conflict again is both ensured and heightened.

The Author also explored whether there was a Political Agenda amongst the participants, or whether their motivation was purely personal financial grievance. I did not think this area was explored enough, and that may be the case because there is little to explore. Conspiracies involving Bonaparte of France may be both dramatic and romantic, but it does not make them legitimate.

Overall a good book for anyone interested in The Luddite Rebellion, what and when it was, and what and when it was not.

Brian J. Bailey's The Luddite Rebellion, it seems now, was doomed from the start. The tale of the Luddites, those impoverished English hosiery workers who smashed machines in the 1800s, does not merit a whole book. The primary material on the topic is quickly exhuasted, and what is left are drawn-out discussions on whether the machine-smashers were politically motivated or not, and the ins and outs of a few insignificant trials. In addition, Bailey's more emotional outbursts against capitalist exploitation only detract from the seriousness of the work.