The Luddites: The History and Legacy of the English Rebels Who Protested against Advanced Machinery during the Industrial Revolution

by Charles River Editors

*Includes pictures *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents Between the 18th and early 19th centuries, Britain experienced massive leaps in technological, scientific, and economical advancement. This powerful period has since been immortalized as the great Industrial Revolution, during which Britain became a formidable force that boasted unmatched economical growth, drastic changes in living conditions, and even the emergence of a neglected social class. Vast portions of rural lands were transformed into interconnected, complex, and multitasking cities. Dozens of innovative inventions and products were churned out in bulk and sold to the masses for the first time ever. Some of the greatest thinkers and creators ventured forth from the shadows. Scientists, engineers, merchants, and manufacturers alike were at the height of their prime, nurtured by a culture that embraced the vision of growth, progress, and industrial unity. The Industrial Revolution saw Britain rise to the top and become the envy of the world's most prestigious nations. At the same time, the pivotal era was far from perfect, featuring a dark underbelly and an army of unsung heroes. It was American writer and futurist Alvin Toffler who once called technology “the great growing engine of change.” The 18th century German linguist Johann Gottfried von Herder was another proponent of enlightenment and technological progress. “Nothing in Nature stands still,” said von Herder. “Everything strives and moves forward.” One would be hard-pressed to find anyone today that would disagree with these sentiments. Those whose opinions suggest otherwise are often thoughtlessly dismissed, and those who hold them ridiculed as tin-foil-hat sporting paranoids or pretentious “hipsters.” But what happens when the very instruments meant to help people begin to put lives at stake? Meet the Luddites, a 19th century brotherhood of rebels who vowed to annihilate every last one of the newfangled spinning machines that cost thousands their jobs. The Luddites' riots are indefensible, at least from the standpoint of violence, but they beg the question of whether the protests were nonsensical acts of rage carried out by thugs who sought to exploit imagined fears or desperate measures taken by those who felt neglected by the government. The The History and Legacy of the English Rebels Who Protested against Advanced Machinery during the Industrial Revolution chronicles the revolution and the negative reaction to it. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Luddites like never before.

76 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2018

About the author

Charles River Editors is an independent publisher of thousands of ebooks on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore & provider of original content for third parties.

Reviews

[Anthony Ambruso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

This was an ok book. I wanted to learn about this subject, and I got my answer. European history doesn't really excite me. The book was written well.

[Mitchell Chatfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice short introduction to the Luddites and some of their skirmishes. It also re-emphasises the gory details of the Regency’s working conditions - runaway children being locked in windowless rooms outside of working hours, ears being nailed to boards for poorly work, or the harsh fines by various Courts for tardiness. The only slight retraction from this book as a listening experience was starting while discussing Victorian social conditions, something which followed not preceded Luddism.

[Rob Sedgwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant account of the Luddite movement

This is an excellent short account of the Luddite movement which has many parallels today. Jobs being replaced by technology, fears of the consequences of mass immigration and the masses organising themselves to fight back are all themes we see echoed again and again through different eras but this was perhaps the first time there was unrest on this scale.