As a matter of historical fact, the Luddites were not necessarily opposed to the use of machinery. The ruthless manner in which many millowners introduced the mechanical loom and cutting machinery faced tens of thousands of people with destitution. They fought (in some cases successfully) for the benefits of machinery to be shared. More soldiers were stationed in the areas in which the Luddites were active than fought for Wellington. Many areas (West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire) were effectively under military occupation and the state of insurrection that existed terrified the government and their supporters, the millowners, who were amongst the prime beneficiaries of the industrial revolution. One reason for the bad press is that the Luddites were more effective than is sometimes thought. In Leeds for example, they won a compromise over the introduction of the power loom.

"Fifty thousand workpeople, who had previously lived by carding wool, petitioned
Parliament against Arkwright's scribbling mills and carding engines. The
enormous destruction of machinery that occurred in the English
manufacturing districts during the first 15 years of this century, chiefly
caused by the employment of the power-loom, and known as the
Luddite movement, gave the anti-Jacobin governments of a Sidmouth, a
Castlereagh, and the like, a pretext for the most reactionary and forcible
measures. It took both time and experience before the workpeople learnt
to distinguish between machinery and its employment by capital, and to
direct their attacks, not against the material instruments of production,
but against the mode in which they are used." - Marx, Capital Vol I.

The questions raised by the Luddite rebellion are still with us today.

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Malcolm J. W. Povey
Reader in Food Physics
Procter Department of Food Science
The University of Leeds
LEEDS LS2 9JT
UK
Tel +44 (0133) 233 2963
Fax +44 (0133) 233 2982
http:\\www.food.leeds.ac.uk\mp.htm
**********************************************



-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Adrian Smith
(Library)
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 10:50 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Luddites


As the Luddites perhaps realised, and has been pointed out by car 
manufacturers, one effect of employing fewer people is to reduce
the market for the product. Robots make plenty of cars, but they 
don't buy any.

A couple of observations, that I would not have predicted, on the 
welcome introduction of No Smoking policies in offices etc:

1. More people sitting in cars in the car park, with the engine 
running.

2. Clean air inside the buildings seems to be encouraging pigeons to 
return to our corridors (they walk in through the automatic doors).

Were the Luddites yesterday's lateral thinkers, or just 
self-interested?

Adrian Smith
Leeds University Library


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