If you haven't studied the Communist Manifesto, this would be a good time. It says that the capitalist class digs its own grave and creates its own gravediggers! Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

RIGHT! They have to have us. Please skip to the next question

It's not exactly a "chicken and egg" kind of "which came first" question, but the two classes do go together. The way Marx & Engels explain it, though, the capitalist class came first. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

The capitalists like to think we need them, but we could do very well without them. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

RIGHT! The long arc of workers' history is one of steadily becoming more powerful. Workers only gain power from being organized. Thus, it makes a good framework for a workers' history. Please skip to the next question

Unfortunately, a lot of our histories are just lists of "great" men, but historical materialists look much deeper. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

Court cases and legislation are just the markers of progress or setbacks. The progress and setbacks come from the class struggle. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

There's a lot of romance in labor history, but that's not why we study it, so "dramatic moments" don't really tell us much. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

Some labor leaders did mis-read the situation. But the ones who stayed in power were the ones who understood it well. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

John L Lewis of the Mineworkers was certainly a towering figure in American labor history, but a "great man" theory of history is hogwash. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

Actually, the Congress of Industrial Organizations had a great solution for job losses due to new technology and automation -- shortening the working hours. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

Outsourcing of jobs certainly did and does weaken unions, but it wasn't a problem as long as the rest of the world was bombed flat and couldn't compete with the United States. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

RIGHT! It's hard to say whether labor was driven off-course by coercion or lured off course by unprecedented American prosperity. Both contributed. Please skip to the next question

Certainly true, but incomplete. Please look for a better answer in the reading material, or just pick another answer

RIGHT! American unions really took a good turn in 1995! Thanks for doing this little module. We'd appreciate your feedback.