Thomas Joseph Dunning ( English Thomas Joseph Dunning ) - British activist of the trade union movement , publicist .
| Thomas Joseph Dunning | |
|---|---|
| English Thomas Joseph Dunning | |
| Date of Birth | January 12, 1799 |
| Place of Birth | London |
| Date of death | December 23, 1873 ( 74) |
| Place of death | London |
| Nationality |  Great Britain |
| Occupation | trade unionist , publicist |
Content
Biography and Views
Born in Southwark (a suburb of London ) in the family of Joseph Hill Dunning and Anne Dunning (née Barber) [1] . He chose bookbinding as a profession: in the UK during this period the printing industry developed rapidly, and the bookbinding profession was very much in demand. He worked as an apprentice, then as a master (the training course took 7 years). In 1820, Dunning joined the London Consolidated Society of Journeyman Bookbinders and was elected to its executive committee in the late 1830s. Repeatedly participated in strikes, negotiated with employers on behalf of the union. In 1839, he was fired for participating in the strike, but as a result several small bookbinding unions joined together, and soon a nationwide union appeared, with Dunning as the head ( English chief ). He edited several newspapers (including The Bookbinders 'Trade Circular, a bookbinding trade union), published articles, and published brochures on the theme of the struggle for workers' rights.
Dunning called the well-known laws on the master and servant ( English Master and Servant Acts ), on the basis of which the worker had much more difficult obligations than the employer (up to imprisonment for violation of the contract of employment) [2] , an attempt to recreate serfdom in industry [3] . He disputed the idea that the trade union movement among agricultural workers poses a threat to the revolution: on the contrary, according to Dunning, their peaceful struggle for their rights allows British landowners to avoid the fate of the French nobility [4] . Dunning sharply criticized the idea of nationalizing the land as economically disadvantageous and politically dangerous - creating a government monopoly. The solution was seen in the liberalization of the land market by abolishing the birthright and adopting relevant laws [5] . Dunning supported South independence in the American Civil War , comparing Lincoln to Xerxes [6] .
Bibliography
- Dunning, Thomas Joseph. Trade's Unions and Strikes: Their Philosophy and Intention . - London: Published by the author, and Sold by M. Harley, No 5, Raquet court, Fleet street, EC, 1860. - 52 p.
Quote
Thomas Joseph Dunning has a well-known statement about the essence of capitalism [7] quoted by Karl Marx in Capital [8] and therefore is often mistakenly attributed to him:
“ Capital ,” says the Quarterly Review “ [9] ,“ avoids noise and abuse and is distinguished by a fearful nature. ” It is true, but that is not the whole truth. Capital is afraid of lack of profit or profit too small, just as nature is afraid of emptiness . But once sufficient profit is available, capital becomes bold. Provide 10 percent, and the capital agrees to any use, at 20 percent it becomes lively, at 50 percent it is positively ready to break its head, at 100 percent it violates all human laws, at 300 percent there is no crime that he would not risk, at least under pain of the gallows. Evidence: smuggling and trafficking in slaves .
Original textCapital is said by this reviewer to fly turbulence and strife, and to be timid, which is very true; but this is very incompletely stating the question. Capital eschews no profit, or very small profit, just as Nature was formerly said to abhor a vacuum. With adequate profit, capital is very bold. A certain 10 per cent. will ensure its employment anywhere; 20 per cent. certain will produce eagerness; 50 per cent., Positive audacity; 100 per cent. will make it ready to trample on all human laws; 300 per cent., And there is not a crime at which it will scruple, nor a risk it will not run, even to the chance of its owner being hanged. If turbulence and strife will bring a profit, it will freely encourage both. Smuggling and the slave-trade have amply proved all that is here stated ...
Notes
- ↑ Davies, Edward J. The Origins of some Trade Unionists (English) // Notes and Queries: journal. - Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014 .-- December ( vol. 61 , no. 4 ). - P. 570 . - ISSN 0029-3970 .
- ↑ Laviss E. , Rambo A. N. Part 1. The end of the century. 1870-1900 // History of the XIX century / Ed. E.V. Tarle . - 2nd, add. and rev. ed. - M .: State Socio-Economic Publishing House, 1939. - T. VII. - S. 64 .-- 639 p. - 103,000 copies.
- ↑ Biagini, Eugenio F. Liberty, Retrenchment and Reform: Popular Liberalism in the Age of Gladstone, 1860-1880. - Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992 .-- P. 148. - 476 p. - ISBN 9780521403153 .
- ↑ Biagini, 1992 , p. 60.
- ↑ Biagini, 1992 , p. 189.
- ↑ Biagini, 1992 , p. 71.
- ↑ Trade's Unions and Strikes: Their Philosophy and Intention, 1860 , pp. 35-36.
- ↑ Marx K. and Engels F. Capital. Criticism of political economy. Volume 1. Book I: The process of capital production // Works . - Second edition. - M .: State Publishing House of Political Literature, 1960. - T. 23. - S. 770. - 907 p. - 135,000 copies. The translation of the quote into Russian is provided for this publication.
- ↑ The cited publication mistakenly mentions “Quarterly Reviewer” instead of - an influential literary and political journal published in London in 1809-1967.