Philadelphia Mechanics Respond To New Pressures, Short Analysis

Philadelphia Mechanics Respond to New Pressures, 1827 This document is a text written in 1827 by an association called the « Journeymen Mechanics of the city and County of Philadelphia ». At this time, the American labor movement was created in Philadelphia. As Journeymen, they considered themselves a depressed a class with a common cause – they wanted to value human labor. In fact, the author wants to prevent inequalities to widen between the American classes. That’s why that kind of claim may be considered as an official and historical document. The main argument is that workers and journeymen are a vital link in the chain of economy. In consequence of their huge participation to human labor, they should be paid in proportion. According to the author, great power leads to great evil, and it will be the case as long as the value of human labor will be deprecated. It must be known that the economic context was a « laissez-faire » economy. To convince the reader, the argumentation is developed throughout five paragraphs, each of them making part of a whole evolution. First, the topic is stretched to a larger context, making the American situation not specific. In this way, comparisons can be made: this situation does not apply to the United States of America only, but also to every country. Secondly, the Journeymen Mechanics of the City of Philadelphia introduce themselves. The paragraph explains why journeymen have to be represented and what such an association is for. Journeymen, basically, mechanics, suffer from power and « evils » of a society inflicting them – their jobs are not considered as it should be. Considering that they cannot rebel individually, an association would help them to have a real strength, but also to have the same requests in order to be clearly understood. The third