Do You Support the Luddites?

The Luddites were skilled mechanics, weavers, and other artisans, that followed the mythical figure “Ned Ludd”. They attacked machines and factories in early industrialization because they believed that the machines were taking away many peoples jobs. With all this new machinery the machines could do the work that people had to do before. This resulted in lower wages because now all you had to do was run the machine, rather than craft something by hand. Below is a letter from a young girl named Lucy. She was a new factory worker at the time of the Luddite’s riots.

The mythical figure Ned Ludd that the Luddites were named after.

Greetings to my dear cousin Paul,

Have you heard about the Luddites? They are a group of men who are trying to get all of us factory workers higher wages! They go around and burn down factories to show the factor owners that they do not think it is fair that the machines are taking people’s jobs and that us factory workers are not paid as much as we deserve to be paid. Industrialization has had a huge impact on me. This is because before coming to work in the factories I was just a normal farm girl. I helped my parents on the farm, and got home schooled by my mother. Now, I am far away from my parents doing a new job. I fully support the Luddites because I believe that we should be paid more to do this strenuous work. The work I do, which is working a sewing machine, is not hard, but the days are very long. I am very tired by the end of the day and I deserve to be able to help my parents more than I am able to do now. They need my money, but sometimes I get sick, and have no extra money at the end of the month. If we were paid more then, I would not need to worry about being able to help my family, as much. I am thinking of joining one of the Luddite movements. I have heard that they are planning to raid a factory near me soon, so I think I might take part. What do you think Paul? Should I take part?

Sincerely,
Lucy