The American Work Ethic and the Changing Work Force: An Historical Perspective / Edition 1

by Herbert Applebaum

Overview

A major force in American society, the work ethic has played a pivotal role in U.S. history, affecting cultural, social, and economic institutions. But what is the American work ethic? Not only has it changed from one era to another, but it varies with race, gender, and occupation. Considering such diverse groups as Colonial craftsmen, slaves, 19th century women, and 20th century factory workers, this book provides a history of the American work ethic from Colonial times to the present. Tracing both continuities and differences, the book is divided into sections on the Colonial era, the 19th century and the 20th century and includes chapters on both major occupational groups, such as farmers, factory workers, laborers, and gender, racial, and ethnic minorities.

This approach, which covers all major groups in U.S. history, enables the reader to discern how the work ethic applied to different occupational and ethnic groups over time. The book subjects the work ethic to an analysis based on historical, sociological, economic, and anthropological perspectives and provides an analysis of current thinking about how the work ethic applied to various groups and classes in different historical periods.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313306778
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/25/1998
Series:	Contributions in Labor Studies , #52
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.62(d)
Lexile:	1290L (what's this?)

About the Author

Herbert Applebaum, who received his PhD from SUNY—Buffalo, is the author of five previous books on work, including, most recently, Colonial Americans at Work (1996). He has been active in the construction industry, both as a worker and in management positions. His other books include Royal Blue: The Culture of Construction Workers (1981), Work in Non-Market and Transitional Societies (1984), Work in Market and Industrial Societies (1984), Perspectives in Cultural Anthropology (1987), and The Concept of Work: Ancient, Medieval and Modern (1992).

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Colonial Period
The American Work Ethic in the Colonial Period
Colonial Farmers
Colonial Craftsmen
Servitude: White and Black
Colonial Women
The American Revolution and the American Work Ethic
The Nineteenth Century
The American Work Ethic in the Nineteenth Century
Farmers in the Nineteenth Century
Artisans in the Nineteenth Century
Factories in the Nineteenth Century
Laborers and Manual Workers in the Nineteenth Century
Slavery and Blacks in the Nineteenth Century
Women in the Nineteenth Century
The Twentieth Century
The American Work Ethic in the Twentieth Century
Factories in the Twentieth Century
Farmers in the Twentieth Century
White Collar and Professional Workers in the Twentieth Century
Skilled and Craft Workers in the Twentieth Century
Women in the Twentieth Century
Minorities in the Twentieth Century
Conclusion
Index

Editorial Reviews

The American Work Ethic performs its task. Applebaum sysnthesize America's industrial history and mixes in the voices of farmers, craftsmen, women, African-Americans, immigrants, and capitalists.” —H-Net Reviews

From the Publisher

Employing an impressionistic, anthropological point of view, the author looks at the way Americans have viewed work over the past four centuries. Presented in the form of 21 essays, the material discusses the work ethic among farmers, craftsmen, indentured servants, slaves, women, artisans, factory workers, white collar professionals, immigrants, and minorities across American history. The author argues that the work ethic has always been central to American values and provides a valuable window into American culture. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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