Zusammenfassung der Ressource
The Causes of Luddism
- Economic Distress
- High wheat/bread prices after
a series of bad harvests
- 1811-1812 after a severe winter
- A depression in the textile industry with increased
unemployment + caused shorter working hours
- Falling wages
- Bolton handloom weavers' wages fell from
25 to 15 shillings per week
- Protests against:
- Low wages
- Machine rental
- The use of colts
(unapprenticed workmen)
- Inferior quality of workmanship
- Unemployment
- Dislike of the factory system's disciplined hours
- War with France
- 1806 economic blockade
- 1807 "Orders in Council"
- Prevented neutrals from trading
with Napoleonic Europe
- Led to wage cuts and redundancies in
the textile industry