Eh more a relatively priveledged few selfishly demanding protection of the status quo at the expense of everybody else. What they fought for was the "right" to

Eh more a relatively priveledged few selfishly demanding protection of the status quo at the expense of everybody else. What they fought for was the "right" to keep jobs from less skilled work and more expensive fabrics for everyone else. What precisely is the difference between the luddites and a price fixing cartel or an extortionist? Both make things more expensive for everyone else using the threat of violence against those who don't cooperate. The status of paupers also wasn't an issue until their own living was threatened by theirs improving slightly. Socialism would imply society as a whole (or at least whomever they consider "real people").