Adam Smith PSA

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations (Excerpts). Modified from the Modern History Internet Sourcebook. 1776. Fordham University. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/adamsmith-summary.asp (accessed September 18, 2013).

   Adam Smith was a philosopher who lived in eighteenth century Great Britain. He was born in Scotland in 1723, a very intelligent and inquisitive child who was quite prodigal in school. He attended the University of Glasgow where he rose above his other students in many fields. He won a scholarship to Oxford University where he completed six years of schooling, after which he moved to Edinburgh. It was at this time Smith became fascinated with the studies of society and what it is constituted of. He took his interests a step further and became a professor at Glasgow university where he became legendary for his fascinating lectures. These lectures led him to to pen his first book, which went on to grab fame for its revolutionary views on society in general. This fame brought him to the attention of a rising politician who offered him a job as a tutor for his young son. This job allowed Smith to travel around Europe and met with many enlightenment thinkers, such as Voltaire. These experiences combined allowed Smith to pen his most successful book Wealth of Nations. This work was one of the first to actually outline a capitalist system and how it operates. This makes a Smith a credible source as he is the first person to even suggest a socio-economic system like capitalism that was widely accepted. This leads to why Smith wrote the book which is to try and create a system that would depend on society and its progression. Also, Smith wanted to convince others that his system is the best and that the reader should follow his philosophies towards success. This excerpt was focused mainly on how the division of labor, breaking larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones, is able to create a more productive work environment. This is exemplified in the quote "The division of labor, so far as it can be introduced, occasions, in every art, a proportionable increase of the productive powers of labor". The document can be cited so far as it is taken into account that it is extremely biased, due to the fact he was the only one who wrote and derived the theories mentioned in the text. Smith also used nothing but glowing appraisal for his theories, using only examples that painted capitalism in a positive light. Smith truly wanted the public to adopt capitalism, and uses persuasive examples and an extensive history studying the topic to back up his opinions.

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Luddite RAFT Assignment

The Luddites are a group that helped to shape the industrial revolution. But, as the term Luddite has been muddled over the decades, the term is sometimes misinterpreted by the people who use it. While many people thought that a Luddite was someone who couldn’t handle technology, they were actually a group of skilled weavers, mechanics and other artisans. They knew how to use the technology of the time and were not protesting over technology itself but instead protested over how technology was used, especially during the industrial revolution. They loved using the machines that were created to advance production; they just wanted to do it in a way that earned them a working wage. Another objection the Luddites had towards technology was when it was used excessively. The way they pretested these issues were also quite interesting, as many of the luddite protests were non-violent, with only one recorded death tied to the luddites during a protests. Also, their protests were very unique in the fact that many of the luddites cross-dressed during the protests. These two facts made Luddite protests very interesting to many people, and helped the luddites gain attention for their movement without having to resort to violence, gaining them a lot of respect from people of the time. Accompanied with this article will also be a letter written by a British soldier sent to the city to protect factories from Luddite riots.

My Dearest Cousin,

            How has your experience in America been so far? I know it must be a huge change for you and your sister to travel so far for a life so uncertain. But I feel safer just because you are safe from the filthy Luddite riots that still occur daily in the city. The way they try to destroy the machines that shape our way of life just because they are unhappy with their wages is egregious. The revolution they are fighting against has brought nothing but prosperity to our country and I am so happy I can be a part of protecting its progress. However, there is not much else to complain about, as their protests are not violent so there is not much danger in watching over them. I pray that you stay safe in America and prosper as I have.

Sincerely

James Hawethorne

Museum Curating: the Industrial Revolution

The curating process is a long, but very interesting, process that is done in museums around the world. It has many different parts that all need to be done well. One of the most important parts of the curating process is the analysis. The analysis is where the objects that are to be displayed are observed and described so that a summerization of the object can be written later in the form of a well written caption. This is important because it allows your exhibit to be fully informative to whoever views it.  The exhibit pictured above is comprised of photos and articles that show what life was like in London before and after the industrial revolution occurred. Through the previous explanation, our group was able to come up with the title Before and After which gives a simple introduction to what the exhibit will be. My hopes are that having the contrast of life before and after the revolution will teach people just how much of an impact it had on daily life of the people during that time.

The first exhibit I viewed after my own was about the transportation, exporting and importing of goods, during the industrial revolution. It focused on how the steam engine was used to provide faster transportation and was able to transport goods further than before as well. Next, an exhibit about how the industrial revolution brought poverty and pollution to England. it focused on how factories that sprung up in cities created mass amounts of both air and water pollution and how workers began to earn such a small amount of money, they could not support their families. The following exhibit was primarily about child labor and how rampant it was during the industrial revolution. It was a very dark exhibit that showed how children were given very dangerous jobs that paid very little. Finally, there was an exhibit on how cotton and slaves were two of the most lucrative business during the industrial revolution. These two trades worked hand in hand, as the cotton trade boomed, so did the slave trade. These exhibits provided a very informative look at the industrial revolution and its effects on life as it was during that time period.

Engels PSA Assignment

Engels, Friedrich. The Condition of the Working-Class in England in 1844, 45, 48-53. London, Swan Sonnenschein and Co, 1892.

Friedrich Engels was a German Born man who lived in Manchester, England in his early twenties. He was sent there by his parents to work for a mill that made sewing threads. Engel was disgusted by what he saw in England during the time of the industrial revolution. During his time in Manchester, Engel wrote the book that this quote is from. His opinions on the matter were skewed against the revolution, not only because of his first-hand experience with working in conditions he described as “Hell on Earth”, but also because of his Marxist views on society. This was due to the fact that Engel was one of the founding fathers of Marxism, working side by side with Karl Marx to create the theory itself.  This excerpt is reliable to the extent of being translated from German to English much later than its original publication. Some of his descriptions make the conditions of that time sound absolutely appalling, telling of polluted waters, stench filled disgusting air quality and people being crammed into small, one room huts for living quarters. He truly despised what the industrial revolution brought, and expresses it well in this excerpt. 

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Syrian Conflict Escalates, Citizens Forced to Take Sides in Civil War

As it stands right now, the situation in Syria has been getting progressively worse and shows no signs of brightening. The civil war between the Assad regime and the general population of Syria has been raging for about two years now. It’s hard to believe it all started because of political protests led by the citizens, who were spurred on by other Arab countries at the time doing similar things, against the Assad regime. The regime then struck back fiercely with mass arrests and military crackdowns, which led to the current war. There may also have been some religious reasons for the war as well, as the government was represented by a minority Arab sect while the citizens were mainly comprised of another Arab sect. This past week, I sat in on a meeting between members of a small Syrian town discussing the options that would be best for the town. The main options that were discussed in this meeting were to rally the town and flee the country, to join in arms, to protest, whether peacefully or not, or stay in the town and protect each other. Fleeing was one of the first options brought up, and many thought it to be a good idea. However, the more it was discussed, the more flaws were seen in the plan. Where would they go? Would they be safe if they relocated? Is it really worth it to start your life over for something so uncertain? The option was soon discarded after these glaring facts were introduced. Next on the docket was to join in arms, which some were for just so they could be a part of the rebirth of their country. Although not a safe option, it certainly was a popular one, and many believed it would be better if foreign aid arrived, which was being discussed by some major countries. Another popular option was to protest, although after seeing how the Syrian government treated protesters in the beginning, it may be too little too late. However, some argued, if they were able to protest quietly by aiding those taking arms, they may be of more assistance than if they actually fought in the war. The final option discussed was to stay put in their town and wait it out. This was received the worst as many thought it to be too risky. The chance of them being hit with mortars or chemical attacks greatly rose if the government zeroed in on their position and they didn't leave. If I were a citizen of this town, I would have to choose to protest by aiding those taking up arms against the government. This way, I would actually be a part of my country’s rebuild and may have more of a say if it gets completely overhauled. One thing is for certain, the tension in Syria will not let up any time soon, so stay tuned for more coverage.