4 ms·

If you’re curious about unions, I always find the Taft-Harley Act of 1947 fascinating for how it curtailed the efficacy of unions in this country. https://en.w

If you’re curious about unions, I always find the Taft-Harley Act of 1947 fascinating for how it curtailed the efficacy of unions in this country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taft%E2%80%93Hartley_Act?wprov=sfti1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taft%E2%80%93Hartley_Act?wprov...

borlanco 3y ago
This isn't new. Confucius was well aware of it 2400 years ago, and it's for everyone. If you abuse your powers, you will lose them.
- hooverd 3y ago
  I would hardly call striking over poor conditions abusing your powers. You could say the same thing about the rationale for any government crackdown.
  - pierat 3y ago
    Only the people of the business and owner class would think they're entitled to forced workers. Strikes and unionization are ways that individuals can become in parity with the owner class. Each side has something the other needs.
  - borlanco 3y ago
    To be able to reach some understanding among us, let me point out that my statement was philosophical (about how the world works) and your statement was political (about who is right). This distinction is important. In politics, understandably, everyone believes that their actions are right. Those beliefs inevitably lead to warfare. That's why I don't believe in politics. I stick to philosophy now, knowing that the quiet contemplation of the world, without taking sides, will yield some lasting benefits, without reckless wars destroying the insights about ourselves that we have already collected and named 'progress'.
    - hooverd 3y ago
      Eh, somebody has to go out and bend the arc of progress.
      - borlanco 3y ago
        Anyone can add to progress, if they acknowledge that progress is whatever works for everyone, literally, for everyone. Who succeeded in doing that? There is Confucius, and Norman Borlaugh, and many others ... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug
        hooverd 3y ago
        I did read that article. Borlaugh seemed very "political" in his views on agriculture and land use to be. And a good guy! But if local involvement has taught me anything, people always have their own incentives, and it's really impossible to be anodyne it unless you're just letting them run over you.
    - brokenbyclouds 3y ago
      This is a very naive, inexperienced view of politics. In politics, many people have acted in ways they did not believe were right. Many others have acted without a thought given to whether they were right. In some situations, wars have resulted from political actions, but in many other instances, political actions has prevented wars that may otherwise have taken place. Not taking sides is a political action in itself. Not wanting to be involved doesn't mean you aren't involved.
- nico 3y ago
  > If you abuse your powers, you will lose them How I wish this was true (this is not a comment on Unions, just on abuse of power in general)
willcipriano 3y ago
I find the strikes leading up to it interesting: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_strike_wave_of_1945%E2%80%931946 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_strike_wave_of_1945%E2%80... > Throughout the Second World War, the National War Labor Board gave trade unions the responsibility for maintaining labor discipline in exchange for closed membership. This led to acquiescence on the part of labor leaders to businesses and various wildcat strikes on the part of the workers.

borlanco 3y ago

This isn't new. Confucius was well aware of it 2400 years ago, and it's for everyone. If you abuse your powers, you will lose them.

hooverd 3y ago
I would hardly call striking over poor conditions abusing your powers. You could say the same thing about the rationale for any government crackdown.
- pierat 3y ago
  Only the people of the business and owner class would think they're entitled to forced workers. Strikes and unionization are ways that individuals can become in parity with the owner class. Each side has something the other needs.
- borlanco 3y ago
  To be able to reach some understanding among us, let me point out that my statement was philosophical (about how the world works) and your statement was political (about who is right). This distinction is important. In politics, understandably, everyone believes that their actions are right. Those beliefs inevitably lead to warfare. That's why I don't believe in politics. I stick to philosophy now, knowing that the quiet contemplation of the world, without taking sides, will yield some lasting benefits, without reckless wars destroying the insights about ourselves that we have already collected and named 'progress'.
  - hooverd 3y ago
    Eh, somebody has to go out and bend the arc of progress.
    - borlanco 3y ago
      Anyone can add to progress, if they acknowledge that progress is whatever works for everyone, literally, for everyone. Who succeeded in doing that? There is Confucius, and Norman Borlaugh, and many others ... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug
      - hooverd 3y ago
        I did read that article. Borlaugh seemed very "political" in his views on agriculture and land use to be. And a good guy! But if local involvement has taught me anything, people always have their own incentives, and it's really impossible to be anodyne it unless you're just letting them run over you.
  - brokenbyclouds 3y ago
    This is a very naive, inexperienced view of politics. In politics, many people have acted in ways they did not believe were right. Many others have acted without a thought given to whether they were right. In some situations, wars have resulted from political actions, but in many other instances, political actions has prevented wars that may otherwise have taken place. Not taking sides is a political action in itself. Not wanting to be involved doesn't mean you aren't involved.
nico 3y ago
> If you abuse your powers, you will lose them How I wish this was true (this is not a comment on Unions, just on abuse of power in general)

willcipriano 3y ago

I find the strikes leading up to it interesting: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_strike_wave_of_1945%E2%80%931946 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_strike_wave_of_1945%E2%80... > Throughout the Second World War, the National War Labor Board gave trade unions the responsibility for maintaining labor discipline in exchange for closed membership. This led to acquiescence on the part of labor leaders to businesses and various wildcat strikes on the part of the workers.