Where do Luddites fall on the political spectrum?

I often give my son a history assignment during the summer. I have lots of history books. One of my favorites is "The Illustrated History of Europe". I asked my son to go through this book and start reading on whatever picture grabbed his interest.

Evidently, he landed on Luddites (The Machine-Breakers). So we discussed it this evening, but it left me with some questions of my own.

For those who are unaware of the Luddites, I have two links for you. First is the reference we love to hate, the Wiki Entry for Luddite.

Secondly is an article written in 1984 by Thomas Pynchon

I was always fascinated with this group myself, given my predilection for technology.

My question to the group is, how would/should we view this group given the political terms of today.

For example, are they conservative or liberal?

Webster says that the definition of conservatism is:

Date 1832
1 a: the principles and policies of a Conservative party
b: the Conservative party
2 a: disposition in politics to preserve what is established
b: a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change; specifically : such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (as retirement income or health-care coverage)

3: the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change

Luddites definitely preferred the existing and traditional situation to change. Yet, they were also against Free Trade and Open Markets, which are both now bastions of Conservatism.



Webster also says that the definition of liberalism is:

Date 1819 (Note: dated about 13 years before the term "conservatism")

1: the quality or state of being liberal

2 a often capitalized : a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity

b: a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard

c: a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties dcapitalized : the principles and policies of a Liberal party

So, according to Webster, the Free Market Capitalists that the Luddites were against were Liberals based on at least definition 2b and 2c.


I eventually come to the conclusion that the definitions of Conservatism and Liberalism must be oddly skewed today from these classical definitions I'm getting from Webster.

My questions are, why? And what views would we would have of the Luddites through todays lens?








[edit on 30-7-2008 by Quazga]

reply to post by Quazga

I eventually come to the conclusion that the definitions of Conservatism and Liberalism must be oddly skewed today from these classical definitions I'm getting from Webster. My questions are, why? And what views would we would have of the Luddites through todays lens?

Luddites broke machines they believed enslaved workers.

That would be equivalent today to those who protest that governance by consent of the governed has been breached by Law and Politics, by rigged elections and stacked decks.

Which it has.


sarc

reply to post by sarcastic


My understanding was that they were textile workers who were being replaced by machines, and thus revolted against this inexorable change.


Would you view them as conservatives or liberals?

BTW, Thanks for the post.





[edit on 29-7-2008 by Quazga]

Anybody who objects or protests the abandonment of governance by consent is neither conserving what there is nor asking for expanded services.

Thus they are NEITHER Conservative nor Liberal and the current political scene has nothing to do with the whole topic, governance by consent, because both parties violate that principle constantly and widely


sarc

I don't think Luddites would fall under the modern definition of either liberal or conservative.

Insofar as they had a desire to return to an earlier period, pre-industrial revolution, they might be compared to Libertarians, who wish to return to an earlier period when there was laissez-faire capitalism. But even that's a stretch.

The best way I could place them on a scale would be to call them extreme conservatives, more extreme than most conservatives today.

reply to post by sarcastic


amen, thank you.
not everything is just conservatives this, liberals that.