Rebel Youth Book Review

The twentieth century brought great prosperity to Canada, the prime minister, Sir Wilfrid Laurier during the start of the 20th century had great visions for the country. He wanted Canada to fill the century as the United States had in the nineteenth century. Laurier’s vision of the twentieth century was to have Canada be known for its equality on a global scale, he said, “Canada is free and freedom is its nationality” . He believes, “freedom of thought, freedom in religion, civil freedom and freedom of trade, the day will never come when this principle shall decline” . However, equality for all was not achieved in the 1900’s, Canada did not leave an imprint for the rest of the world. During the century, all people were not granted equality

In chapter 15, “Self-Help in Hard Times”, Zinn’s overarching point is that unity among workers was not simple to achieve, and that white supremacy was a powerful, deadly force after the war. To support and further discuss these concepts, Zinn points out how relations between the American Federation of Labor and the Industrial Workers of the World were often tense, how city life often changed drastically during times of strike, and how immigration laws during the twenties began to favor Anglo-Saxons.

Emma Goldman is a historic feminist and anarchist whose accomplishments and views became symbolic in the history of American radicalism. Although she spent some time in prison, and was eventually deported from America in 1919, the time that Emma Goldman spent in America had a significant impact on American radicalism. Emma Goldman was inspired by radicalism by anarchists and disagreed with how radicals were being perceived which lead her to join and invest herself in the anarchist movement; she joined for the right reasons. Her views on what anarchism really means, patriotism and war opposition, and women’s rights were all very predominant

You touched on a critical point in your forum, as of why workers went on strike. While poverty played a significant role, in 1877, railroad employees experienced a significant pay cut, which sparked the Great Railway Strike, triggering violence and a shutdown of the railways lasting nearly six weeks. Next, the Pullman strike began with railroad owners becoming increasingly wealthier, while none of the profits trickled down to the employees. The labor walk-outs encompassed the substantial divide between social classes. Hence, rich businessmen were increasing their profits, while poor workers often remained stagnate with low wages and company issued paycuts. In the 1920’s, the economy was booming, and businesses were earning significant profits.

“These people do not understand Laurier; he has a governing mind; he wants to do things; he has plans. He will walk the great way of life with anyone of good intention who will join him.”

The 1960s marked a time of political and cultural turmoil in America. This rise in change allowed people to make an impact through political activism, artistic and spiritual expression. Artists still manage to shift the cultural landscape with their political agendas in songs. The Civil Rights movement emphasized human rights issues, which demanded the need for other reforms. There are numerous projects, organizations, and activist groups today that address fundamental change in society. Oppositional stance against policies or institutions is prominent just as it was with youth counterculture

Throughout history, peoples have been pushing for their own rights for many things and reasons, some praised as rational and humane, while other attempts were booed as irrational and controversial. The Haymarket Square Riots in Chicago was one of those that sparked deep controversy of the labor movement in America pushing for workers’ rights and brought the harsh work conditions resulting from industrialization into question nationally.

They demanded less hours, higher wages, workplace safety and unions. In the summer of 1909 the majority of Triangle Shirtwaist Factory workers walked off of the job. Blanck and Harris hired private police forces and prostitutes to beat the strikers and had them arrested for fighting back. The public looked at them as disturbers of the peace, lazy immigrants who didn’t understand how lucky they were to have a job. Other workers in factories left their jobs as well, leading to Blanck and Harris organizing all of the other shirtwaist factories, leading them against the workers in what essentially became a long game of “chicken”. However, the tables turned against the organized factories when in November of 1909 the girls organized what would become the largest stoppage of work in the city’s history. It didn’t take long for the smaller factories to buckle, however the Triangle Shirtwaist factory did not budge. It only got worse for the factory owners when Anne Morgan, the daughter of J.P. Morgan, decided to stand with the girls in their strike. Media’s opinion changed and suddenly the strikers were brave and being admired. Due to this change in public opinion, Blanck and Harris had no choice but to begin negotiations. They said they would give higher wages and fewer hours but did not want a union. The strike leaders refused and lost the support of Anne Morgan, who while she agreed that they needed more rights, was entirely against the idea of unions. The strikers left the negotiations with nothing to show for it, and had lost a valuable ally. In February of 1910 the strike ended, some factories had given in to union only shops, but the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was not one of

The author Gregory Mantsios is the director of the Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies at Queens College of the City University of New York, and the editor of A New Labor Movement for the New Century (1998). No contact information is given and due to the fact that Mantsios is so well educated on the topic, there could be a slight bias towards the well educated.

occurring at the end of the First World War within the bigger picture of Canadian social,

The Winnipeg General strike started when the Builders and metal workers walked off their jobs for higher wages, shorter work weeks and the right to do collective bargaining. It expanded with the Winnipeg Trades and Labour council voting for General Strike with 30,000 people going on strike. The people who opposed the strike were business leaders, politicians and Industrialists who formed the Citizen’s Committee of One Thousand. They didn’t like the strikers because they thought it was a conspiracy plan to overthrow the government. On June 21st, the strikers held a parade against the mayor and because of how violent it was, it became known as “Bloody Saturday”. This was also the end of the strike, as the government defeated the

The teacher’s strike occurred in 1997 had marked a new era for Canadian education. With over 2 million students out of school, teachers marched hoping for their voices to be heard. Parents were struggling to figure out what to do with their kids who weren’t going to school. Chaos had erupted. At the time, this was the largest strike in history. As a result, the government was frantic to figure out what decision had to be made. The strike resulted in Bill 160 to be passed, costing the Ontario government over 1 billion dollars. Not only was the strike hectic when it occurred. The aftermath left behind still affects teachers and students today. When we were looking for any Work Stoppage which had developed in the past 20 years, the teacher strike

The 12,000 refugees traveled 4,393.58 miles away from Czechoslovakia to Canada in hopes of a better life. “Since the end of World War II, almost half a million refugees have come to Canada to reclaim their lives” (Troper 1). Canada’s main drive was for their own economic benefit. The Prague Spring refugees were intelligent and talented which made them useful to the Canadian society. Canada was eager in recruiting them because of their talents and how they would positively affect their economy.

This part of article was written by Donald Creighton talking about the Macdonald’s only concern, Nation Builder. Macdonald’s concern, in this book, was to ally with Britain which can defense the invasion of Units States: “secure and maintain its separate political existence in North America” and “Canada must belong either to the American or British system of government” (Page 165 of 165) said by Macdonald. Further, to get independent and diplomatic status from England was the ultimate point because of Macdonald’s unhappy experience-Treaty of Washington in 1871 which was British commissioners negotiating.

Stung by the treatment he received in the NUDL, a jealous and impatient Larkin, writes O’Connor, intended that ‘the administration of the union would amount to one man rule’. In 1911, industrial unrest engulfed Britain. Influenced by the French concept of syndicalism, which posited that workers should eschew activism in political parties and ‘look instead to trade unions and industrial conflict as the primary instruments of class struggle and ultimately effect the revolution through a general strike’, dock workers and railwaymen went on strike.