Options:
A.The government nearly always sided with striking workers against companies.
B.Companies often hired government agents to keep striking workers in line.
C.The government nearly always sided with companies against striking workers.
D.Companies often hired government agents to encourage workers to strike.
Answer:
C.The government nearly always sided with companies against striking workers.
Explanation:
From the rise of the capitalist system (industrialization, formation of markets, banks, businesses), the rise of a new social class took place: the workers, that is, the workers of the capitalist industries. Consequently, social relations emerged between factory owners (explorers) and factory workers (exploited) that permeated the industries' daily lives.
From these not at all friendly relations between capitalists and workers, two movements emerged in England, the Luddites and the Chartists, who had a common objective: to find solutions to the problems faced by the workers, mainly unemployment (due to the introduction of machinery that replaced several human labor forces). Both ludistas and chartists claimed, through actions (such as the breakdown of industrial machinery), the unemployed workers return to work.
Another form of workers' claim that did not have much effect was the attempt to achieve better working conditions by requesting them from the government. Generally, the government did not respond to these demands, as the government itself owned industries.
Over the decades, capitalism has added new features, society has undergone increasing transformations and, thus, the workers needed to articulate new ways of fighting for their causes. In this way, socialist movements emerged from the organization of workers.
