Luddites
Also called: Luddism · Topic: The Age of Industrialisation · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Luddites were groups of English textile workers who smashed new machines between 1811 and 1816. They blamed the machines for low wages and lost jobs. They claimed to follow a leader called "Ned Ludd", who was probably not a real person. The movement was strongest in Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Lancashire, and the government crushed it harshly. Today, a "Luddite" means anyone who opposes new technology.
Example
In 1812, Luddites attacked mills in Yorkshire and broke the machines that were replacing skilled workers. The government sent troops and made machine-breaking a crime punishable by death.
Don't confuse with
- Attacks on the Spinning Jenny: these were earlier. Women who lived by hand-spinning attacked the Jenny in the woollen industry from the late 18th century. The Luddites were a later, organised wave of machine-breaking.