He believed there should be a smychka (alliance) between peasants and workers (didn’t want to create differences between them.) • Trotsky wanted to abolish the NEP- Resented the fact that much of the USSR’s industry was under the direct control of the government. Hated the NEPMEN (traders who made large profits from the NEP.) Wanted to end the inequality between poor peasants and kulaks. Wanted to abolish private farms and introduce collective farming.
Labor Union strikes were the most prominent form of worker insurrection against employers. During the period of 1875-1900, many labor unions participated in strikes, however many of them failed to achieve their goals. The biggest reason that farmers and workers went on strike was clearly stated by a machinist before the Senate Committee on Labor and Capital. Because machines were taking jobs away, workers would lose their livelihood, and most likely their only source of income. In the year of 1877, employees working for the four largest railroads went on strike due to the fact that their employers cut their wages by 10 percent; this was known as the Great Rail Road Strike.
The depression of the 1890’s ruined banks, farms, and many of the train leaders were declaring bankruptcy during this time period. Prior to 1890, the Industrial Revolution was outpacing farms. The farmers of the 1890s in the south weren’t getting the price for their cotton to break even. This also happened to the farmers of the Midwest with the wheat harvest. Strikes by workers crippled some parts of the nation when the grain and livestock couldn’t reach the market place.
If Company Q is worried about this happening with employees, they could only allow owners or store managers to decide what is donated. After donations were gathered, they could allow store employees, under supervision, to choose some of the food donations for themselves. Then the remainder could go to the local food bank to help those who would use the food. Donations could be under the strict supervision of owners or store managers only. Company Q’s current worries about employees stealing food creates an atmosphere of distrust with in the company and does not allow the employees to feel as though are a trusted and valuable part of the company.
Michael Moore didn’t explain to the viewers that this is merely one out of many corporations that makes decisions solely to benefit themselves, regardless of how it affects other people. This is the nature of the business; this is capitalism. When a corporation can benefit by moving their factories that is what they are going to do, this is an example of Adam Smith’s invisible hand. If a business is successful, they will stay in an area until there is a better option. This happened with General Motors, where other countries required a lower minimum wage, allowing General Motors to collect more profit.
But the 20s weren't all fun and glamour. The early 20s was a time of struggle. 15% of Canadians were left without work (they couldn't support their families). Prairie farmers suffered from a collapse in the wheat marker. Many soldiers returning from the great war (expecting to get their old jobs back) caused a great surplus of workers.
Bartering had been common in medieval times which show how people resorted to previous looked down upon activities. Pensioners on fixed incomes suffered as pensions became worthless. Restaurants did not print menus as by the time food arrives…the price had gone up! The poor became even poorer and the winter of 1923 meant that many lived in freezing conditions burning furniture, or in some cases, banknotes, to get some heat. The group that suffered a great deal - proportional to their income - was the middle class.
Many factors caused the economic condition in America to change in the late 1920’s resulting in the Great Depression. These factors include World War One, individual debt, business failure, farming decline, banking failure, and the stock market crash. World Depression was caused by World War one because the demand for American products reduced after the war resulting in too much supply with limited demand. Production was lowered and jobs had to be cut, leaving many without jobs leaving many in debt because many people took out loans or stocks during the war. Many people did not have money to spend in businesses and businesses also took out loans that needed to be paid back.
Small farmers benefit from consumers who choose them over Stop & Shop’s aisles of imports, and these small farmers are getting help from the government. When you buy local more money stays in the community. This would not be the case however if you bought from a big food chain which sends the money out all over the place. For local business owners, the money that is spent locally will eventually find its way back to them which in return helps strengthen the local economy and helps local businesses thrive and grow. While some argue that buying local threatens small farmers elsewhere in the world, they ignore that if everyone bought local food, everyone’s local economies would improve.
In 1917, Russia was crumbling into pieces. World War I was draining all of Russia’s resources. Through out the country there were massive food shortages, which left people starving. At the battlefront, millions of Russian soldiers were dying, because they did not possess many of the powerful weapons that their opponents had, like machine guns or the modern tanks, and Czar Nicholas the second’s government was disintegrating. In 1917, Lenin and his communist followers known as the Bolsheviks, overthrew Czar Nicholas II and set a communist government in Russia.