How the modern British working class forged its unions and its future
This concise volume traces the rise of the modern working class, from the early start of industrial change to the birth of industry-wide unions and the growth of socialist ideas. It offers a clear, historical perspective that connects economic forces to organized labor and social change.
This edition presents a accessible overview of how wages, production, and class power shaped union strategy. It shows why craft unions gave way to industry federations and how that shift influenced strikes, policy, and the labor movement’s broader goals. The material helps readers understand the evolving link between economic structure and collective action.
- Defines the modern working class and explains wage-labor as the organizing principle
- Tracks the shift from craft unions to industry-based organization and federation
- Describes the rise of industrial unrest and the factors behind it
- Discusses how union reforms and political power intersect with the broader project of social change
Ideal for readers of labor history, political economy, and social theory.