Fear of the "Labor Problem"

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was much concern about "the Labor Problem." The fear was that industrial and other workers and unions would foment violent social unrest and promote anarchy. This brief silent video clip illustrates the fear. It uses the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World or "Wobblies") as the villain/threat. (The IWW went into eclipse and did not play much of a role after the 1920s. Its descendents are engaged today in trying to organize some Starbucks facilities.)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• labor-problem
• unions
• history
• anarchy
• IWW