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Rebels Against The Future: The Luddites And Their War On The Industrial Revolution: Lessons For The Computer Age

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"Rebels Against The Future" is a book with an important, relevant, and timely message. Written by Sales Kirkpatrick, long-time editor of "The Nation", the book describes the historical struggle for human rights against the forces of technological innovation by way of the saga of Ned Ludd & his followers. By detailing this example, the author illustrates how difficult it is, both historically and culturally, for individual workers & ordinary people to successfully come to terms with the anonymous and often overwhelming forces of an intractable and self-propelled technical dynamic; industrial progress.

I first came across this book last year by way of the internet; an excerpt of it was posted on a neo-Luddite site I was browsing through. Reading this short portion hooked me on Mr. Kirkpatrick's writing style and substance. This is a book ostensibly devoted to the iconoclastic revolt by a small but determined group of nineteenth century English cottage workers against the hurtful introduction of new machines that, in essence, deprived them of an opportunity to make a living and support themselves and their families. It was the first documented account of a group rebelling against the enforced imposition by industrialists of new technology that was contrary to their own social and economic interests. It was not all machinery that the so-called "Luddites" rebelled against; it was only those technological innovations "but all Machinery hurtful to Commonality". He forwards an impressive, multi-faceted argument; each facet of the argument bearing on various aspects of what the author associates with various characteristics of technologies.

Thus, Kirkpatrick ascribes a "motif industriale" on such technologically-based innovation such that; first, technologies are never neutral, & some are hurtful; second, industrialism is always a cataclysmic process, destroying the past, roiling the present, making the future uncertain; third, only those serving an apprenticeship to nature can be trusted with machines, fourth; the nation-state, synergistically intertwined with industrialism, will always come to its aid and defense, making revolts futile and reform ineffectual; fifth, that resistance to the industrial system, based on moral principles and rooted in some sense of moral revulsion, is not only possible but necessary; sixth, that resistance to industrialism must force not only "the machine question" but the viability of industrial society into public consciousness and debate; seventh, philosophically, resistance to industrialism has to be embedded in an ideology that is morally informed, carefully articulated, and widely shared; and eighth, if industrial civilization does not eventually crumble from determined resistance within its walls, it seems certain to eventually crumble of its own accumulated excesses and instabilities.

Of course, the lessons from the experience of the Luddites are central to the issues of our own time. Everywhere in the burgeoning postindustrial world citizens face the same hurtful, impersonal, dehumanizing, and disenfranchising effects of the rapidly changing technological landscape. The central issue of runaway technological progress is the degree to which it acts without meaningful citizen input to determine the nature of the society it increasingly interrupts, disrupts, and alters through a ceaseless and seemingly unmanaged and undirected dynamic of industrial innovation. There seems to be no human face to this process, and it appears to be unresponsive, insensitive, and totally indifferent to its dehumanizing effect on the millions of individual human beings who are so profoundly and negatively affected by its ministrations. This is an important and thought-provoking book, and one every concerned citizen should take the time and energy to read.

Years ago I was sitting in traffic on the South East Expressway in Boston, MA. I had just spent the better part of the day fixxing automobiles for people. That was my job. That is what I do. Trying to get home so I could "relax" was a chore. I lived maybe 30 min. away from my work but spent better than an hour just sitting in the hot July sun while the conjested traffic inched it's way along slowly, burning precious fossile fuel, spewing carbon & other noxious fumes into the air surrounding Boston. I was not happy. I called my wife on our ancient "Bag Phone". We discussed moving out of the Boston metro region so we could slow down the pace, relax a bit more and just enjoy life.
I had a Luddite moment. I realized then that I was working hard to keep all this technology together just so people could get to their own jobs to earn the money needed to keep their technology working. It dawned on me how futile all this stress and effort are... We are killing ourselves to support technology and all the time fooling ourselves with the idea that this modern life style is somehow better than in the good old days. I did not have an urge to smash any machines but I did want to stop the world and get off. Am I really any happier now than I would be if I were a village blacksmith in 1812? What do I really need to be happy? What does all this wonderful modern technology really cost me in blood, sweat and tears? I cash my paycheck, buy food and fuel, pay my bills, look at the remainder and wonder if that 1812 blacksmith was any worse off, realatively than I am today.
Sales book chronicles a moment in the history of labor struggle. Make of it what you will... He has documented a story that needs to be told if we as a society are to look at the big picture of ourselves and ask... How did We get here? Is this the right direction to be going? Can we survive and sustain this modern lifestyle?
I suggest reading at least chapters 8 and 10. I also suggest reading it along with a UE published book titled "Labors untold story" and Howard Zinns work "Peoples History"
Comfort is a realative thing.

"Rebels Against The Future" is a book with an important, relevant, and timely message. Written by Sales Kirkpatrick, long-time editor of "The Nation", who describes the historical struggle for human rights against the forces of technological innovation by way of the saga of Ned Ludd & his followers. By detailing this example, the author illustrates how difficult it is, both historically and culturally, for individual workers & ordinary people to successfully come to terms with the anonymous and often overwhelming forces of an intractable and self-propelled technical dynamic; industrial progress.

I first came across this book last year by way of the internet; an excerpt of it was posted on a neo-Luddite site I was browsing through. Reading this short portion hooked me on Mr. Kirkpatrick's writing style and substance. This is a book ostensibly devoted to the iconoclastic revolt by a small but determined group of nineteenth century English cottage workers against the hurtful introduction of new machines that, in essence, deprived them of an opportunity to make a living and support themselves and their families. It was the first documented account of a group rebelling against the enforced imposition by industrialists of new technology that was contrary to their own social and economic interests. It was not all machinery that the so-called "Luddites" rebelled against; it was only those technological innovations "but all Machinery hurtful to Commonality". He

forwards an impressive, multi-faceted argument; each facet of the argument bearing on various aspects of what the author associates with various characteristics of technologies.

Thus, Kirkpatrick ascribes a "motif industriale" on such technologically-based innovation such that; first, technologies are never neutral, & some are hurtful; second, industrialism is always a cataclysmic process, destroying the past, roiling the present, making the future uncertain; third, only those serving an apprenticeship to nature can be trusted with machines, fourth; the nation-state, synergistically intertwined with industrialism, will always come to its aid and defense, making revolts futile and reform ineffectual; fifth, that resistance to the industrial system, based on moral principles and rooted in some sense of moral revulsion, is not only possible but necessary; sixth, that resistance to industrialism must force not only "the machine question" but the viability of industrial society into public consciousness and debate; seventh, philosophically, resistance to industrialism has to be embedded in an ideology that is morally informed, carefully articulated, and widely shared; and eighth, if industrial civilization does not eventually crumble from determined resistance within its walls, it seems certain to eventually crumble of its accumulated excesses and instabilities.

Of course, the lessons from the experience of the Luddites are central to the issues of our own time. Everywhere in the burgeoning postindustrial world citizens face the same hurtful, impersonal, dehumanizing, and disenfranchising effects of the rapidly changing technological landscape. The central issue of runaway technological progress is the degree to which it determines the nature of the society it constantly interrupts, disrupts, and alters through its ceaseless dynamic of industrial innovation. There is no human face to this process, and it seems to be unresponsive, insensitive, and totally indifferent to the dehumanizing effect on the individual human beings who are so profoundly and negatively affected by its alterations, wrenching changes, and undemocratically derived consequences. This is an important and thought-provoking book, and one every concerned citizen should take the time and energy to read.

Lessons from the Luddites for the Computer Age include: 1) Technologies are never neutral, and some are hurtful; 2) Industrialism is always a cataclysmic process, destroying the past, roiling the present, making the future uncertain; 3) "Only a people serving an apprenticeship to nature can be trusted with machines."; 4) The nation-state, synergistically intertwined with industrialism, will always come to its aid and defense, making revolts futile and reform ineffectual; 5) But resistance to the industrial system, based on some grasp of moral principles and rooted in some sense of moral revulsion, is not only possible but necessary; 6) Politically, resistance to industrialism must force not only "the machine question" but the viability of industrial society into public consciousness and debate; 7) Philosophically, resistance to industrialism must be embedded in an analysis-an ideology, perhaps-that is morally informed, carefully articulated, and widely shared; 8) If the edifice of industrial civilization does not eventually crumble as a result of determined resistance within its very walls, it seems certain to crumble of its own accumulated excesses and instabilities within not more than a few decades, perhaps sooner, after which there may be space for alternative societies to arise.

Sale's book addresses the historical context of the Luddite activities in early nineteenth century England. The book provides a conclusive description and analysis of the salient Luddite actions, an interpretation of the causes for the actions, and a synopsis of the ramifications of similar precendents on our own society.

Essentially, Sale suggests that Luddism was not simply a reaction to job losses through mechanization. Rather, Luddism was a product of social and economic tensions within England at the time. Bread riots and market riots are also offered as examples of a wider reaction to English policies in the early nineteenth century. By dissecting the Luddite phenomena, Sale indicates that the Luddite reaction, as a concerted movement, did not exist. Rather, Luddism refers to several forms of social reaction against economic and social difficulty

I really liked this book, especially Mr. Kirkpatrick's excellent way of summarizing at the end of the book the various aspects or qualities of innovation which the other reviewers have already mentioned. It is a thoughtful and memorable book, and one very helpful in helping the reader to understand just how important taking personal responsibility for the world we live in has become. I recommend it for anyone interested in where we've been, where we are, and where we may be going!

Kirkpatrick Sale is one of the visionary writers of our time, and deserves a much wider audience. This book rescues the reputation of the unjustly maligned workers who fought against some of history's cruelest businessmen. Contrary to myth, the "Luddites" were not knee-jerk foes of any technological change; they were workers fighting to protect their jobs and families from businessmen interested only in profit. No one who reads this book (and who cares more about people than gadgets) will ever again use the word "Luddite" as a term of opprobrium.

Kirkpatrick Sale is a first rate historian, but as an analyst of history he tends to be blinded by his own so-called "Neo-Luddite" leanings. He does correctly identify that the Luddite movement was not about machinery, per se, but rather about social tensions arising in Europe, and that attacking machinery was simply an easy target. But his misses much in his economic analysis.

Like many neo-luddites and "left anarchists", Sale believes in small government, but his (and their) small government is not small in power; it has the power to compel decentralization and to resdistribute income. It is, like Chomsky's 1970s-variety anarchism, Socialism under a different rubric.

Sale believes that large corporations, large cities and any large scale human endevor must be artificial, created in order to exploit man and nature, which rather puts him at odds with the experiences documented through most of written history. He rejects the efficiencies people have traditionally found in both trade and scale, and prefers instead an enforced village. The are a good many inconsistencies in his rationale; he decries the large corproation, but wants to redistribute the wealth produced by such entities. One wonders where the wealth will come from once he destroys the wealth producers; I am reminded very much of the recent history of Zimbabwe.

In summary, then: Not his best work, but worth reading for the historical material, and for some of the social analysis. Just take the economics with a large dose of salt.

I read this book a few months ago and am struck by parallels between the Luddite movement and the Occupy Wall Street movement. Globalization (outsourcing) and automation have both driven down wages and increased unemployment. Automation will in the long term continue to reduce the need for labor. The owners of resources will have little need for workers ('the 99%'). World food supplies may become unstable due to climate change. What then?

Perhaps small (~100 people), largely self-sufficient agrarian communities are the answer to saving the 99%.

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As for the book itself, I enjoyed the chapters relating the history of the Luddite movement more than the 'solutions' chapters, which seemed somewhat superficial. For the active OWS protesters - there are many lessons that can be learned from this book about protest movements. Peaceful is the way to go.

Labor-saving machinery diminishes the need for labor. Jobs are eliminated and people lose employment. This was at the core of the Luddite revolt in early 19th century England. The complaint was that people were put out of work. Skilled craftsmen were replaced by machine operators. The job was less rewarding, paid less, and was more dangerous. Luddism was not a general revolt against any and all advances in industrial or technological invention. The protest was at bottom about money and health. Luddites destroyed machinery and threatened lives. They represent the violent, self-righteous side of the collective protest of labor.

The book details events of the Luddite revolt, and should have stopped there. It continues with a journalistic rant against the modern age that gains in tedium with each paragraph.

I get no sense from this book that the author himself has any skills other than research and writing. He does not relate of any exuberance in any kind of outdoor experience or talk of his interest or adventures in self-reliance. He doesn't discuss what sort of a world he would like to live in, what exactly that world would be like, where the machine of the industrial/technological society has stopped.