The Workingman's Concept Of Industrial Liberty Analysis

Review of John Mitchell's The Workingman's Conception of Industrial Liberty Although the prevailing definition of freedom at the beginning of the 20th century was narrow, because of the rise of progressivism, the definition broadened, as demonstrated by John Mitchell in “The Workingman's Conception of Industrial Liberty.” Published in 1910, a time characterized by dramatic economic growth, brought on by increased productivity, a rapid rise in population, and the growing consumer marketplace, this document reflected the feelings of many in the working-class. As the economy thrived, so did inequality, business leaders used their power and influence to exploit their workers, forcing them to work long hours in unsafe conditions while paying them too little to be able to maintain a decent standard of living. Because of the current narrow definition of freedom, measures from the
While many employers were chiefly concerned with increasing profits, they were willing to do so at the expense of the of their workers. Wages stayed so low that many families, children included, had to work just to feed themselves. It was Mitchell’s belief that under the current unequal system that was in place, he wasn't truly free.
Along with many other laborers, skilled and unskilled alike, who were disillusioned with this limited view of freedom, Mitchell began to advocate for industrial liberty. This new idea of freedom was one that was broader and “[] mean's more than the right to choose the field of one's employment.” These laborers were primary in the development of the Progressive movement, which advocated for more regulation and control over the marketplace. They believed that government regulation was a means of guaranteeing liberty, as opposed to an attack on