In modern parlance, "Luddite" has come to mean one who rejects modern ways for a simpler time. But what were the historical events from which the term arose? Who were the Luddites? What were their ultimate aims - if, indeed, they had any? How were they organized, and who were their leaders? Exploring these and other questions, this book presents a detailed account of the Luddite Rebellion from its beginnings to the savage repression which marked its end. The Luddite riots, which proved one of the defining moments of the Industrial Revolution, began in 1799 when Ned Ludd, a "backward youth", is said to have smashed a knitting frame. His actions provoked a prolonged outbreak of machine-breaking by desperate textile workers, giving way to a rebellion that would serve as a metaphor for future generations.
- ISBN10 0814713351
- ISBN13 9780814713358
- Publish Date 1 November 1998
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 13 March 2021
- Publish Country US
- Imprint New York University Press
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 240
- Language English