Why Did Early Labor Unions Fail?
Labor unions emerged at the turn of the nineteenth century as industrialization transformed the United States. The factory system replaced the work of artisans and craftsmen who had worked in small shops. Artisans had organized themselves into guilds, but the power of the guilds declined as manufacturing replaced the artisans’ work. The new manufacturing workers organized themselves into unions. Early unions failed for a number of reasons, including internal tensions, inability to prevent violence, a societal fear of revolution and failure to win over the public and authorities.
