The Pullman Strike Analysis
George Pullman, a man who became a self-made millionaire after revolutionizing the railroad industry with the ‘Pullman sleeper car’; a railroad coach designed for wealthy overnight passengers.
We begin to speculate, what a sensible millionaire would do with his accumulated wealth in the 1800s? He would build a town named after himself ; Pullman, Chicago.Now Pullman had the belief that, if he built a town in which his factory workers could live in, he could therefore manipulate the costs within his own town. Simply put, Pullman’s workers, would essentially be depositing their own wages back into Pullmans pocket. The panic of 1983, an economic recession that inadvertently begins a domino effect in the town would soon lead to the Pullman Strike. As a result of this, Pullman wasn’t making the money he wanted, and henceforth decided to cut his workers’ wages in order to continue his increase in profits the way he …show more content…
Neither the workers nor Pullman knew. But nevertheless, it had to be attempted. A claim that certainly stood out, was in the beginning of the passage. “Certain foreman borrow money their men, $5 to $30, and when men complain, discharge them or lay them off.” That alone demonstrates the mentality of big business tycoons, make them do what you want, have them give you their money, disregard emotions. These men were essentially being robbed and treated as slaves. What were they to do if they got laid off, the entire town was governed by the man in which they opposed.
I personally believe after reading the allegations the workers had written, they in every way had the right to strike. Such conditions were not meant to be able to live off of. Events like these are why we have our modern day government and economy, to prevent similar situations. In every way, I would side with the workers. This is just another example of big monopolies trying to get wealthier, while disregarding any workers’ well
We begin to speculate, what a sensible millionaire would do with his accumulated wealth in the 1800s? He would build a town named after himself ; Pullman, Chicago.Now Pullman had the belief that, if he built a town in which his factory workers could live in, he could therefore manipulate the costs within his own town. Simply put, Pullman’s workers, would essentially be depositing their own wages back into Pullmans pocket. The panic of 1983, an economic recession that inadvertently begins a domino effect in the town would soon lead to the Pullman Strike. As a result of this, Pullman wasn’t making the money he wanted, and henceforth decided to cut his workers’ wages in order to continue his increase in profits the way he …show more content…
Neither the workers nor Pullman knew. But nevertheless, it had to be attempted. A claim that certainly stood out, was in the beginning of the passage. “Certain foreman borrow money their men, $5 to $30, and when men complain, discharge them or lay them off.” That alone demonstrates the mentality of big business tycoons, make them do what you want, have them give you their money, disregard emotions. These men were essentially being robbed and treated as slaves. What were they to do if they got laid off, the entire town was governed by the man in which they opposed.
I personally believe after reading the allegations the workers had written, they in every way had the right to strike. Such conditions were not meant to be able to live off of. Events like these are why we have our modern day government and economy, to prevent similar situations. In every way, I would side with the workers. This is just another example of big monopolies trying to get wealthier, while disregarding any workers’ well