Similarities Between Lloyd And Gompers

Henry D. Lloyd on the Lords of Industry and Samuel Gompers...The American Federation of Labors writes about the growing monopolistic power in corporations during the late 19th century, However, their approaches are strikingly different due to a more radicalistic approach by Lloyd, and a more pragmatic approach with solutions by Gompers. Lloyd writes, “The great companies do not let the little men make too much. Year by year the coal retailers are sinking into the status of mere agents of the combination, with as little freedom as the consumer.” Lloyd goes over the dangerous impact of monopolies on small businesses, workers, and consumers. Lloyd argues that these powerful industrialists, or according to him “lords of industry”, manipulate the market, exploit labor, and
Both articles address the exploitation of workers and the need for collective action to improve their conditions. They recognize the power imbalance between employers and workers, and stress the importance of organization and solidarity. Both Lloyd and Gompers highlight the struggles of the labor force against powerful industrial interests, and they advocate for measures to protect and empower workers. After all, Lloyd's approach is more radical, advocating for the system to change and the government and public to curb monopolistic practices. In contrast, Gompers states, ”There the view of which I spoke just now, the desire to improve the condition of the workingmen by and through the efforts of the trades union, is fully lived up to. . . . I believe that the existence of the trade-union movement, more especially where the unionists are better organized, has evoked a spirit and a demand for reform, but has held in check the more radical elements in society.” (Gompers). While Lloyd criticizes capitalism's rooted flaws, Gompers strives to work within the system to secure better conditions for