The Luddites

Question

The Luddites

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Luddites were textile workers who destroyed industrial machines in protest because the machines were taking their jobs and destroying their livelihoods. They received some sympathy from the local population, but their movement was not widely supported. They were not composed solely of unskilled workers, as many of the skilled craftsmen and artisans also joined the movement. The Luddites were a movement in Great Britain, not on the Continent, and they did not demand the establishment of a socialist economy.