The Theory of Business

第37章

Particularly,experienceseemstosaythatitisnotfeasibletointroducethetrade-unionspiritorthetrade-unionrulesintoanycommunityuntilthemachineindustryhashadtimeextensivelytostandardizetheschemeofworkandoflifefortheworkingclassesonmechanicallines。Workmendonottaketofull-blowntrade-unionidealsabruptlyontheintroductionofthosemodernbusinessmethodswhichmaketrade-unionactionadvisablefortheworkingclass。Acertainintervalelapsesbetweenthetimewhenbusinessconditionsfirstmaketrade-unionactionfeasible,asabusinessproposition,andthetimewhenthebodyofworkmenarereadytoactinthespiritoftrade-unionismandalongthelineswhichtheunionanimuspresentlyacceptsasnormalformeninthemechanicallyorganizedindustries。Anintervalofdisciplineinthewaysofthemechanicallystandardizedindustry,moreorlessprotractedandsevere,seemsnecessarytobringsuchaproportionoftheworkmenintolineaswillgiveaconsensusofsentimentandopinionfavorabletotrade-unionaction。

Thepervadingcharacteristicofthetrade-unionanimusisthedenialofthereceivednatural-rightsdogmaswhereverthemechanicalstandardizationofmodernindustrytraversestheworkingofthesereceivednaturalrights。RecentcourtdecisionsinAmerica,aswellasdecisionsinanalogouscasesinEnglandatthatearlierperiodwhentheBritishdevelopmentwasataboutthesamestageofmaturityasthecurrentAmericansituation,testifyunequivocallythatthecommonrunoftrade-unionactionisatvariancewiththenatural-rightsfoundationofthecommonlaw。

Trade-unionismdeniesindividualfreedomofcontracttotheworkman,aswellasfreediscretiontotheemployertocarryonhisbusinessasmaysuithisownends。Manypiousphraseshavebeeninventedtodisguisethisiconoclastictrendoftrade-unionaimsandendeavors;butthecourts,standingonasecureandfamiliarnatural-rightsfooting,havecommonlymadeshortworkoftheshiftysophisticationswhichtrade-unionadvocateshaveofferedfortheirconsideration。Theyhavestruckattherootofthematterindeclaringtrade-unionregulationsinimicaltothenaturalrightsofworkmanandemployeralike,inthattheyhamperindividuallibertyandactinrestraintoftrade。Theregulations,therefore,violatethatsystemoflawandorderwhichrestsonnaturalrights,althoughtheymaybeenforcedbythatdefactolawandorderwhichisembodiedinthemechanicalstandardizationoftheindustrialprocesses。

Trade-unionismisanoutgrowthofrelativelylateindustrialconditionsandhascomeongraduallyasanadaptationofoldmethodsandworkingarrangementscarriedoverfromthedaysofhandicraftandpettytrade。Itisamovementtoadapt,construe,recast,earlierworkingarrangementswithaslittlelesiontoreceivedpreconceptionsasthenewexigenciesandthehabitsofthoughtbredbythemwillpermit。Itis,onitsface,anendeavorofcompromisebetweenreceivednotionsofwhat“naturally“oughttobeinmattersofindustrialbusiness,ontheonehand,andwhatthenewexigenciesofindustrydemandandwhatthenewanimusoftheworkmanwilltolerate,ontheotherhand。

Trade-unionismisthereforetobetakenasasomewhatmitigatedexpressionofwhatthemechanicalstandardizationofindustryinculcates。Hithertothemovementhasshownafairlyuninterruptedgrowth,notonlyinthenumbersofitsmembership,butintherangeandscopeofitsaimsaswell;andhithertoithasreachednohalting-placeinitstentative,shifty,buteverwideningcrusadeoficonoclasmagainstthereceivedbodyofnaturalrights。Thelatest,maturestexpressionsoftrade-unionismare,onthewhole,themostextreme,insofarastheyaredirectedagainstthenaturalrightsofpropertyandpecuniarycontract。

Thenatureofthecompromiseofferedbytrade-unionismisshownbyascheduleofitsdemands:collectivebargainingforwagesandemployment;arbitrationofdifferencesbetweenownersandworkmen;standardratesofwages;normalworkingday,withpenalizedregulationofhoursformen,women,andchildren;

penalizedregulationofsanitaryandsafetyappliances;mutualinsuranceofworkmen,tocoveraccident,disability,andunemployment。Inallofthistheaimofunionismseldomgoesthelengthofovertlydisputingthemeritsofanygivenarticleofnatural-rightsdogma。Itonlyendeavorstocutintothesearticles,inpointoffact,atpointswherethedogmaspatentlytraversetheconditionsoflifeimposedontheworkmenbythemodernindustrialsystemorwheretheytraverset

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