by Mary Beard
First published 1971
Mary Beard chronicles the American labor movement from the nation's founding through the 1970s. She designed this compact volume to fill a gap for general readers who need accessible coverage of labor history without wading through specialized academic studies like John R. Commons' extensive treatise. Beard examines the evolution of worker organizations, their goals, and their tactics across nearly two centuries of American industrial development. The book covers key strikes, union formation, legislative battles, and the changing relationship between workers and employers. Beard argues that understanding labor history is crucial for informed citizenship. She presents complex economic and political developments in straightforward terms, making the subject approachable for busy readers who lack time for lengthy scholarly works. The narrative spans from early craft guilds through the rise of industrial unions, offering readers a clear foundation in how American workers organized to improve their conditions and wages.
Genres: history, 20th-century, labor, 21st-century, academic, american-history
Vibes: accessible, informative, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-narrative, social-change
Setting: United States
Period: Founding, 1970s
Hardcover · Greenwood Press