The article tells about what a luddist is, what the followers of such a social movement were doing and whether they exist in our time.
Technique
The 20th century is also interesting because during it the development of scientific and technological progress proceeded at an unprecedented, gigantic pace. If you look into the depths of history, then nothing like this has ever happened. This trend has also been observed in recent years. According to some scientists, the day when the real technological singularity will come is very close.
We are all used to using the achievements of science and technology, but this was not always the case, and at some times people openly opposed new inventions that made their life easier, or were afraid of them, considering them objectionable. Approximately so it was in the first quarter of the 19th century in England, when the movement of followers of Ned Ludd was born there, they themselves called themselves Luddists, or Luddites. What it is, we will analyze.
Definition
Luddist is a person who opposed the development of scientific and technological progress. They existed in the first half of the 19th century in England and several other countries. True, they protested not because of ideological or religious motives, everything was simpler: new weaving and spinningmachines replaced hundreds of workers, which, of course, did not please the workers. So a luddist is a person who has been left without a job as a result of being replaced by a machine tool or other technological device.
It all started with Ned Ludd, who was credited with destroying the looms. True, it is not known for certain whether such a person actually existed. But that didn't stop his followers. They were engaged in the fact that they broke various machine tools, machines and other units, which gradually forced out low-skilled workers at various enterprises.
Distribution
In 1811, this movement spread throughout England, the Luddists broke woolen and cotton factories. But the government quickly and harshly suppressed them.
Later, a law was introduced, according to which the destruction or damage to machines, like any other industrial sabotage, was punishable by death, and adherence to the ideas of Luddism became deadly. True, the workers still had no choice, and they protested further. Which, however, is logical, because a luddist is, as a rule, a low-skilled worker, and it was difficult for him to find a job.
Many of the protesters were sent to Australia, while others were executed. And for some time, the British troops were more active in suppressing the Luddist uprisings than they were resisting Napoleon.
In our time, a Luddist is a person who opposes the achievements of science and progress. True, now they are often called "neo-Luddites" or "neo-Luddists." By the way, inboth varieties of this word are found in official use.