Everything Everywhere Daily The Luddites
Dec 9, 2025
Discover the intriguing history of the Luddites, who weren’t just anti-technology but fought for artisans' rights against economic turmoil. Learn how machines like power looms threatened skilled craftsmanship and led to organized protests, including dramatic nighttime raids. The discussion dives into the complexities of legal repression and worker rights, regional actions, and the violent government crackdowns that ensued. Explore how the legacy of Luddism echoes today in debates around automation and societal change.
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Craft Identity Before Machines
- Artisans before industrialization had skill, autonomy, and identity tied to long apprenticeships and craft mastery.
- Gary Arndt explains that these crafts provided stable wages and social respect until mechanization disrupted them.
The Legend Of Ned Ludd
- The Luddites took their name from a probably-apocryphal apprentice, Ned Ludd, who smashed stocking frames around 1779.
- Gary Arndt recounts how Ned Ludd became a symbolic leader whose name signed threatening letters.
De-Skilling Through Mechanization
- New machinery de-skilled work by allowing manufacturers to hire lower-paid, less-skilled labor like women and children.
- Gary Arndt highlights that this shifted labor relations and undermined skilled craftsmen's livelihoods.
