Well about 120 years ago, in 1893, America was all about railroads. Just like today the big industry for speculation is Internet and tech, and prior to that it was based on investing in consumer companies based on increased access to debt (The Depression was caused by many factors but one was overproduction to match rising consumption fueled by easy debt which isn't actual wealth growth but more like re-shifting if you take into account the rates of default in such situations) and before that oil, the big industry of the mid to late 19th century was the one that involved connecting the country by railroads. The Vanderbilts, for example, made a huge chunk of their dough-re-mi that way and everybody else grew their industry by investing, subsidized by the government. In fact, there were a bunch of railway lines to nowhere sold to unsuspecting late-coming investors which went bankrupt when the speculations on the value of said routes proved unfruitful, wiping out these investments.
Anyway, this speculation led to an economic depression, which interestingly enough only fucked up middle class investors while the magnates were able to hedge their bets with a help of government subsidies and shifting greater responsibility to these late-comers. In turn, the whole railroad industry slowed, owners no longer got as many orders for trains and new routes, which cut into their ability to cover their homes in gold (this was, after all, the Gilded Age). So, instead of adjusting his lifestyle, one owner, George Pullman, simply cut wages to his workers. Though he kept their rents at the same level so essentially he asked for austerity from the average man to subsidize himself. They went on strike, the workers, in Pullman, Illinois. So President Cleveland, worried this would stop US ability to send products across the country, sent in cops and military to quell the strikes. So essentially US military enforced corporate policy (as, it must be noted, the US did not own the railway lines since such would be socialism - though they did enforce the company's desire to get its employees back to work). This led to open fire which led to the death of 13 strikers followed by a riot spreading to Chicago which killed many more. Good 'ol Grover realized this would look bad so he decided to honor these people, this fledgling union of train workers, and in 1894 he instituted Labor Day, the first Federal holiday for the working man, and gave Organized Labor unprecedented rights and support.
Wisconsin has all-but-outlawed organized labor by cutting out rights for government union collective bargaining, especially when viewed by the philosophy (adopted by the government to explain military action against nations as diverse as Cuba, Vietnam, and Iraq) that one loss will surely lead to many more. But seriously, Governor Scott Walker, who won a recall even, hates organized labor. So should Wisconsin be allowed to celebrate Labor Day? I for one think we should spend Labor Day rioting the streets of Cheboygan and Madison, or at least placing annoying spams and phone calls to the legislature to show the authorities they need to get to work, they no longer have that day off.
But that's neither here nor there. Perhaps I'm looking at this all wrong. The unions certainly helped out organized crime back in the day, where people could wield power by buying politicians. And the unions made it so factory-owners had to pay employees more, which meant of course they had to send their factories overseas, thus taking industry away from American workers. So I guess you can say that unions ruined American industry.
The unions are responsible. This is a theme being taken to the bank in South Africa. Right now, in fact, South Africa has pulled some shit which Cleveland shoulda used during Pullman instead of some stupid holiday and sanctioning of unions.
We've all heard about the mines in South Africa, where the miners went on strike to protest bad work conditions. They got rough with the police when said authorities simply tried to do the right thing and fence them in with barbed wire. But anyway they got rough and in return the cops opened fire, killing 34 people in the process. Well it just got better. Using an old law that was very popular during apartheid days, the South African National Prosecuting Authority charged the deaths to the 270 miners they arrested, i.e. they charged the ones who survived with the murder of their fellow strikers. How? Just like an asshole who says a girl only gets raped because she's asking for it, they're saying that the strikers' movement on the cops is what made them shoot and kill the 34 protesters and, as such, the NPA is charging the 270 protesters with the 34 murders.
That's right, protesters are getting charged for the police murdering their fellow protesters.
Happy labor day. Let's get hammered. Because yes, I already am. And fuck Wisconsin. But fuck South Africa MUCH much more.
- Ryan
good history lesson. On a side note Clevelands' grandson is in Hawaii saying sorry for not quite stopping American private interests from overthrowing the Hawaiian Government 120 year ago too:)
ReplyDeletewillie b