HST 202 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1.2: Wage Slavery, Productive Forces, Mikhail Bakunin
Document Summary
As the second industrial revolution has begun to unfold, so has the history of the capitalist class struggle, including the working class"s participation. Today, we know that when the capitalists first began to build factories and machinery, the workers were largely dependent on government subsidies. Today, the working class"s relationship with the government has become more one of dependency as workers are increasingly dependent on government subsidies to survive. When the capitalists began to build their own factories, in the early 20th century, workers often sold their labour to the capitalists in exchange for a fixed amount of money. This gave the capitalists the option to turn workers loose on the "free market" without the need to deal with the consequences of their actions and decisions. The capitalists of the first industrial revolution often exploited this situation to expand capital and produce the most wealth.
