Knights of Labor
The end of the Civil War in America represented a great change for the political, economic, and social environment of the American states. It marked the start of a certain number of changes that would favor on the one hand, the development of the United States into becoming the most important force on the political stage by the end of the Second World War, and on the other hand, it contributed to the emergence of a different approach to the social and economic issues that would affect the population in the decades following the Civil War. In this context, the Knights of Labor played an important role in defining the position of the working class and in turn, determined the establishment of a reaction that would become traditional in America towards the organization of workers and the role of the state in economic affairs. In order to have a comprehensive image of the role the Knights of Labor played in the history of the United States it is important to place them in a historical background, more precisely the end of the Civil War and the Reconstruction period. Also, the birth and evolution of the organization is as important because it offers a perspective on the way in which the society reacted to the strains of the Reconstruc
However, they encountered a hostile environment and employers were most of the times eager to exploit their need for money by offering low paid jobs in unsecure working environments, with few if no benefits. First and foremost, they appeared at a moment when the working class was in complete disarray and the economic realities of the time were in a desperate need for a force to stand for the rights of the immigrant and black workers. This was the result of the increasing pressures that were exercised by more radical members who demanded more action from the organization. Secondly, they became a force due to the fact that they encouraged not violent resistance but the practice of negotiation. Thus, their interest relied heavily on areas such as mining, railway construction, and other low paid activities. Finally, the existence of the Kninghts of Labor also pointed out the need and sometimes efficient results of nonviolent activism. The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendment of the American Constitution had enabled black people to legally benefit from the right to a fair and non discriminatory treatment, as well as the right to vote. The result was a series of transnational railroads and highways, as well as projects meant to exploit different regions of the country with the aim of bringing profit to the federal budget (Jenkins, 1997). Especially in the South, despite an initial improvement of the situation, the issue of the black people as equal parts of the society soon became again a troublesome issue and thus black workers were often discriminated, both in the society and at the work place (America's Reconstruction, 2003) Socially speaking, one could distinguish different levels in the society. (VandeCreek, 2002)The adherence to the future socialist precepts drew the attention on an emerging phenomenon which included many parts of the social, political, and economic problems facing America. Having created a trend for labor organization and trade unions, the Knights gave way for what would become the American Federation of Labor. This technique used was largely due to the fact that their orientation could now be labeled as socialist, thus filling in the gap left by the fallout of the Chicago's socialist movement. The historical framework had been reshaped following the end of the Civil War. The main reason for their emergence was in fact a reaction to the continuous social uprisings, due to the precarious conditions which most unskilled workers were forced to endure. However, their initiatives were strictly related to peaceful opposition and negotiation and thus nu radical results could have been achieved.
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