John Adams Quotes
In some countries the laboring poor were called freemen and in others they were called slaves but that the difference of the state was imaginary only…. the condition of the laboring poor in most countries, that of the fishermen particularly in the Northern states, is as abject as that of slaves.
This fascinating quotation is very frequently quoted out of context. For example even in modern times some Southern slavery apologists quote this passage stating that Adams saw no moral difference between slavery and employment of the lower classes. And anti-capitalists have claimed that this was an attack on capitalism as no better than slavery for many workers. Neither is true. The debate was on the head taxes that states should pay to the central government. Southerners were claiming that they should not have to pay per person taxes on slaves. Adams position was that they should pay in that there is no practical difference in the work and working conditions very often. If slaves should be exempted from the head tax, so should the poor, lower class workers like the fisherman in New England. He always maintained at huge moral difference between a poor free worker and a slave even thought their working conditions might be similar.
John Adams, 1735-1826, 2nd President of the United States (Federalist, MA), Debate on the Articles of Confederation, July 12, 1776
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Jefferson was one of the first political and economic thinkers to express concern over the “wage slave” concept of the industrial revolution. This was one of the major reasons that he was not in consonance with Alexander Hamilton in his economic vision for America. While we followed the Hamilton direction, there are still issues of maintaining freedom and independence for an employee in modern nations and economies.
See {616053}. The strike was broken by jailing one of the main leaders.
Sinclair had written an expose of the meat packing industry – the Jungle – which used as its setting the Armour meat packing factory. It changed the way the public thought about the industry, the role of government and regulation. President Roosevelt took up the reform role, and got Congress to Regulate the quality and cleanliness of the meat packing industry. Sinclair, however not only wanted that reform, but also wanted the labor wages and conditions reformed. He referred to the Armour plant as the fortress.
What the Supreme Leader did not understand was that the very books that he recommended to see the faults of America were the very instruments that influenced the American reformers to change and improve America. And the lesson he missed is that he would not allow authors to heavily criticize the current Iran and have a wide audience so that Iran could improve. His examples were very well chosen. The lesson is the wrong one however.
John Adams Jr. was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of the American Revolution that achieved independence from Great Britain, and he served as the first vice president of the United States. Adams was a dedicated diarist and regularly corresponded with many important figures in early American history, including his wife and adviser Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
