The Evolution of Trade Unions in the 1870s to 1880s Research Paper

The Evolution of Trade Unions in the 1870s to 1880s - Research Paper Example This period was marked by economic growth, and there were many job opportunities for both skilled workers in the many industries that were being set up. Chicago and Philadelphia were a favorite with the immigrants, and during these times, there was an influx of unskilled workers in the regions hoping to get employment (Reynolds, 2009). However, the economy gains did not extend to the unskilled workers, and this was a rough time as there were no systems to cater to their needs. Laborers were exploited and survived on low wages and poor working conditions (Skurzynski, 2008). Most of them lived in slums and had to work for long hours in dangerous conditions and ended up having miserable lives in the United States. There were many unskilled workers looking for employment, and the industry managers took advantage of the large pool of workers. In the early 1870s, the idea of trade unions was not popular yet. Workers did realize there was a need to join them, but most memberships stayed bel ow one percent of those employed. In this period, there had been no successful trade union and most of them collapsed even before they had made any major improvements. Most of them were known for their extreme antics to gain what they wanted, and they did not have a good status with employers and consumers. Some even went to the extent of crime, violence or even threatening and intimidating workers to join or employers to meet their demands (Skurzynski, 2008). By the end of the 1870s things began to look up. The civil war era was coming to an end, and the American economy was on its way to a revival. With the economy showing signs of recovery, there was hope for trade unionists to pick up the pieces and revive the laborers movement. The environment was conducive, and there was an influx of immigrants seeking employment in America who were willing to join the trade unions. With improved memberships, there were more voices to push their agenda, and this led to political ambitions. Thi s saw the rise of the Workingmen’s party of the United States, which later changed its name to the Socialist Labor party due to its success and popularity among immigrants (Richard, 1998). The late 1870s through to 1880s is the period when trade unions began to thrive. Though it was a period characterized by failing unions due to opportunism and lack of cohesiveness, they found their foothold. By holding peaceful boycotts laborers were able to push for better wages. It was a start that had many obstacles, but it as a dawn of a new era, a progressive era and change was inevitable. Laborers were becoming increasingly aware of their rights and trade unions were their refuge. However, It was a trying time too since most trade unions were not popular. Trade unions in the 1870s and 1880s were mainly craft unions. These are unions where people with similar skills such as carpentry, construction and rail workers came together to form a union. These were representation of workers in a single occupation who found it much easier to demand for better wages as a united front (Skurzynski, 2008). A trade union’s main aim is to ensure fair working conditions for its members. It seeks to address members’ problems by negotiating with employers on their behalf. This was an era of change and widespread awareness that there was the need to come together and put up a strong face to push for

Psychology Evaluate addiction in terms of brain dysfunction Essay

Psychology Evaluate addiction in terms of brain dysfunction - Essay Example In fact it does not require the individual to feel positive pleasure from the behaviour (West, 2006). There are two types of forces that forces that enhances purposeful behaviour in human beings: inhibitory forces and impulses. Each of these forces is balanced, checked and regulated by tasks of planning and evaluation. The behavioural plans that human beings propose for themselves, and the evaluation they make of their behaviour help to give identity and purpose (Baxter & Hinson, 2001). For instance if a man recognizes himself as addicted to smoking, but evaluate the smoking behaviour as a risk to mental functioning, then he will be able to formulate a plan that would displace the behaviour. Theory of addiction is viewed as chronic brain disorder that can be managed with all the tools at medicine's disposal. The addict's brain is claimed to be malfunctioning, just like the pancreas of someone with diabetes. The major distributing factor is the behaviour and lifestyle choices (Eugene & Heather, 2003). Genetics have found that there are gene variants that predispose people to addiction that explains why some people who tries addiction becomes hooked on it. The laboratories that are operated and funded by PET and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) are forcing the addicted brain to yield up its secrets. According to West (2006), Neuroscientists are mapping the intricate network of feedback loops and triggers that are set in motion by the taste, sight or thought of a beer or a cigarette. They have learned to identified a signal that an alcoholic is about to pour a drink, and trace the impulse back to its origin in the primitive midbrain. Among the numerous compounds tested by NIDA are compounds that block the intoxicating effects of drugs. They include vaccines that train the body's own immune system to bar them from the brain Addiction as Brain dysfunction Addictive drugs like heroine and cocaine flood the brain with the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is a chemical that induces a sensation of pleasure and trains the subconscious mind to remember everything that proceed that sensation. Alcohol, amphetamines and nicotine, together with cocaine and heroine are considered the hardest drugs to give up (West, 2006). Drugs are substances that tap into brain's operation system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive and process information. Drugs can disrupt the brain's operation in two ways: can imitate the brain's natural chemical messengers and over-stimulate the reward circuit of the brain. Most drugs fool the brain's receptors and activate the nerve cells to send abnormal messages (Bannon et al, 2002). Nearly all drugs target the brain's reward system; they do this by flooding the circuit with dopamine. With continued drug abuse, the brain adapts the overwhelming surges in dopamine by reducing the number of dopamine receptors in the reward circuit; this will lessened the impact on the reward circuit, hence reducing the users ability to enjoy the drugs and things that earlier brought pleasure (West, 2006). According to Bannon et al (2002), long term abuse causes changes in other brain systems and circuit as well as facilitating non-conscious learning, which makes the learner to experience uncontrollable carvings whenever they see a person or place that is associated with the drug experience. Research indicates that drug-addicted individuals are show changes in regions of the brain that