"The alarming development and aggressiveness of great capitalists and corporations, unless checked, will inevitably lead to the pauperization and hopeless degradation of the toiling masses. It is imperative, if we desire to enjoy the blessings of life, that a check should be placed upon their power... We have formed the Knights of Labor with a view of securing the toiler the proper share of the wealth he creates..."
— Constitution of the Knights of Labor, 1878
Which of the following strategies did the organization that issued this document use to address the concerns described in the excerpt?
- ALobbying the federal government to maintain a strict laissez-faire policy that would prevent any state intervention in worker-employer contracts.
- BForming alliances with urban middle-class professionals to prioritize consumer safety regulations and municipal civil service reforms.
- Organizing skilled and unskilled workers, including women and African Americans, into a broad union to advocate for cooperative ownership of industries.Answer
- DAdvocating for the dissolution of communal lands to redistribute individual agricultural plots to displaced industrial workers.
Answer
Organizing skilled and unskilled workers, including women and African Americans, into a broad union to advocate for cooperative ownership of industries.
The correct answer is correct because the Knights of Labor, led by figures like Terence Powderly, sought to organize all 'producing classes' (both skilled and unskilled workers, women, and African Americans) into a single union. Their long-term goal was to establish a cooperative society in which workers owned the factories and shared in the profits, bypassing the industrial wage system entirely.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Knights of Labor's inclusive unionization strategy and pursuit of a cooperative commonwealth during the Gilded Age.
Estimated Time:1m 30s