Working for the 'Right' Reasons 

With the ratification of the U.S. Constitution (1788), the Founding Fathers hoped to build a strong foundation that the United States could improve upon as a nation. However, with the development of a new government, the nation’s economic and political systems were being controlled by private owners rather than by the State at this time. As a result, capitalists were able to monopolize production and dominate the economy. It was during the Industrial Revolution (1760-1840) that the working class, primarily consisting of men, emerged from the public because of the high demand of workers resulting from the advancement of manufacturing processes.

During this time, capitalists and the upper class pushed to create goods faster in search of profit more than valuing the well-being and conditions of their workers. Following the development of the United States as a nation during the Industrial Revolution, it is evident that the effects of capitalism, economically and politically, produced a response from the working class for the lack of fair representation, appropriate rights, and opportunity in society as both a citizen and a worker.

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Throughout the 19th century, society experienced a dramatic shift from an agrarian lifestyle to an industrial livelihood. This transition was caused by agricultural advancements, innovations in technology, and simply the growth of the population. Members of society had to adapt to the demands of the Industrial Revolution by assuming new roles needed by corporations. The leaders of these companies were private owners who made up a majority of the wealthy class.

During this time, it was understood that wealth transcribed to economic power. In addition, the Constitution stated, “No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty-five Years and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen” (Art. I, Sec. 2). Most of the men that fulfilled these requirements were wealthy because they needed to own property. As a result, the working class were unable to be fairly represented, as well as a citizen in American society, on any platform since the economic and political systems were being dominated by capitalism. Thus, allowing the oppression of the working class to unfortunately last for a longer period of time. The public identified these flaws within society and decided to take a stand for worker’s rights through many protests, movements, and unionizations.

As the exploitation of the working class continued, the fight for labor rights began to increase significantly. Workers began to argue that the community’s success was the product of their hard work and exhaustion. Laborers argued that they were not being appreciated based on the treatment received from the superiors and heads of these companies. Consequently, the first labor rights political organization was formed in 1840, known as the Workingmen’s Party of Charlestown. This took place in Massachusetts, where employees formed together to discuss the effects of capitalism concerning the conditions and circumstances regarding the working class. The Workingmen’s Party of Charlestown later developed a public address, “An Address of the Workingmen’s Party of Charlestown, Massachusetts, to Their Brethren throughout the Commonwealth and the Union”, in which the party stated, “Our labor has done it all. And yet what is our condition? We toil on from morning to night, from one year’s end to another, increasing our exertions with each year, and with each day, and still we are the poor and dependent” (127).

This displays the overwhelming opinion of the working class and the shared values amongst employees concerning their rights and status. This statement also reflects the 19th century term “Republican Manhood”, which is the ability to resist unjust authority through autonomy and independence. Furthermore, the address adds, “We are doomed by our position to grow up ignorant, and often in total neglect of all our nobler endowments. Our rights and interests attract no general attention” (128). The hours, conditions, and demands of employees from corporations restrict workers from improving their social class because of the strenuous labor and physical expectations placed on workers. With these limitations, the working class began to be oppressed outside of the workplace as their experience at work affected their opportunity beyond their work obligation. There was simply no time available for leisure concerning the workers in regard to them improving themselves, let alone their social class. The actions of the Workingmen’s Party of Charlestown inspired the public to promote worker’s rights to further expose the flaws of a system that only valued workers as a source of wealth.

Furthermore, society continued to endure the effects of capitalism within the workplace. Workers protested against the forces of the market, even with the little power they already had. With no representation politically and barely any concern economically, the working class had to creatively develop the issue of worker’s rights in more powerful ways. This can be seen through Herman Melville’s work, Bartleby, published in 1853. Bartleby was identified as a passive protest as it served as a critique of American capitalism while promoting worker’s rights. This can be primarily seen through the actions of the short story’s protagonist, Bartleby, who represents a scrivener within a society that is dominated by capitalism. The purpose of the work can be best summarized through Bartleby’s frequent saying, “I would prefer not to” (Melville 7). This quote displays the torn mindset of employees who would rather not do the task demanded of them from work, but Melville goes on to portray the fact that the working class has no other choice, since they have obligations beyond work. These specific needs, including starvation and financial concerns to survive, constrained them to their jobs.

Through Bartleby, Melville is able to also portray the dehumanizing effect that capitalism has on laborers, since corporations valued workers simply as sources of wealth. In addition, Bartleby goes on to elaborate on how workers can be considered lifeless as they are, “speeding to death” (Melville 21) with nothing to show. Through capitalism, workers are losing themselves in a sense due to the concept of existentialism, concerning one’s individual existence being correlated to freedom and choice. This exemplifies the drastic effects that workers suffered from, like clinical depression, because of the lack of individual liberties. As the problems within the workplace continued to grow more severe, society took the initiative to display their concerns and demand for labor rights on several platforms with the hopes of an opportunity to gain justice for the working class.

Ultimately, the Industrial Revolution helped the United States advance as a nation within the 1800’s. Through this sense of growth, society changed significantly as the working class was formed and agrarian lifestyles shifted to an industrial focus. The markets, economy, and formation of the country were all taken over by capitalism because of the benefits that were accompanied by wealth and property. However, the sovereignty of capitalists led to the oppression of the working class, as corporations prioritized profits and personal gain over the well-being of their employees. As a result, members of the working class decided to counter against the injustices concerning their rights through protests and movements. Throughout the 19th century, the effects of capitalism directly correlated to the retaliation and response of the working class for appropriate rights and proper representation in society.