Key Question: How do Nationalist and Non-Nationalist Loyalties Contend?
Beginning Discussion
1. What does the term 'social class' mean?
2. What assumptions are sometimes made about members of the upper class? The middle class? The lower - working - class?
3. Why do people use labels like upper and lower class? How are they significant?
4. Do you know anyone who has experienced class conflict? How did the conflict make this person feel? How did the person respond?
5. Why do people tend to 'pigeonhole' other according to class?
The Winnipeg General Strike
THE WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE: UnionsAs the men who had fought in the war returned to Canada in 1919, they often found that the jobs they had left behind had been taken over by others. They also found that prices on goods were increasing rapidly. This condition is known as inflation.
Workers in many parts of Canada also wanted the right to a union and the right to collective bargaining. A union is an organization formed by working people for their own protection. One of the purposes of a union is to obtain the right of collective bargaining. Rather than each worker individually “bargaining” with the employer for wages and benefits, the union wishes to speak for the entire “collection” of workers, when bargaining for wages and benefits.
There is power in numbers. If one worker is not satisfied with her/his wages and refuses to work or goes on strike, no one takes much notice. However, if all the workers in an industry are not satisfied and go on strike, much notice is taken.
THE WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE: Strike!In 1919, worker frustrations boiled over in the city of Winnipeg. The workers in the city’s metal industries wanted the right to collective bargaining and a wage increase to $1.00 per hour. When the owners refused these requests, the workers went on strike. Then the workers in other industries went on strike to back up the metal workers. Soon the firefighters, the postal workers, the delivery people, and even the police in Winnipeg went on strike to back the metal workers. When all the workers are on strike, it is called a general strike.
The strikers formed a special committee to make certain that essential services were kept and to organize the strikers. The employers and the people who opposed the strike believed that the strikers were trying to overthrow the government of Winnipeg. They accused the strikers of being Communists. Government officials hired new people to replace the striking postal workers and policemen. These replacement workers were called "scabs" by the strikers.
THE WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE: Send In The Army!
After the strike was six weeks old, the opponents of the strike convinced the federal government to send in the army and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to end the strike and to arrest its leaders. In the process, one man was killed and dozens wounded.
The workers did not receive what they had asked for, but they had demonstrated the power of united action. 35,000 workers had stayed off the job for six weeks in Winnipeg. The government of Canada did take notice, and in the next decades, laws were passed that would protect the rights of workers.
1. What does the term 'social class' mean?
2. What assumptions are sometimes made about members of the upper class? The middle class? The lower - working - class?
3. Why do people use labels like upper and lower class? How are they significant?
4. Do you know anyone who has experienced class conflict? How did the conflict make this person feel? How did the person respond?
5. Why do people tend to 'pigeonhole' other according to class?
The Winnipeg General Strike
THE WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE: UnionsAs the men who had fought in the war returned to Canada in 1919, they often found that the jobs they had left behind had been taken over by others. They also found that prices on goods were increasing rapidly. This condition is known as inflation.
Workers in many parts of Canada also wanted the right to a union and the right to collective bargaining. A union is an organization formed by working people for their own protection. One of the purposes of a union is to obtain the right of collective bargaining. Rather than each worker individually “bargaining” with the employer for wages and benefits, the union wishes to speak for the entire “collection” of workers, when bargaining for wages and benefits.
There is power in numbers. If one worker is not satisfied with her/his wages and refuses to work or goes on strike, no one takes much notice. However, if all the workers in an industry are not satisfied and go on strike, much notice is taken.
THE WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE: Strike!In 1919, worker frustrations boiled over in the city of Winnipeg. The workers in the city’s metal industries wanted the right to collective bargaining and a wage increase to $1.00 per hour. When the owners refused these requests, the workers went on strike. Then the workers in other industries went on strike to back up the metal workers. Soon the firefighters, the postal workers, the delivery people, and even the police in Winnipeg went on strike to back the metal workers. When all the workers are on strike, it is called a general strike.
The strikers formed a special committee to make certain that essential services were kept and to organize the strikers. The employers and the people who opposed the strike believed that the strikers were trying to overthrow the government of Winnipeg. They accused the strikers of being Communists. Government officials hired new people to replace the striking postal workers and policemen. These replacement workers were called "scabs" by the strikers.
THE WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE: Send In The Army!
After the strike was six weeks old, the opponents of the strike convinced the federal government to send in the army and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to end the strike and to arrest its leaders. In the process, one man was killed and dozens wounded.
The workers did not receive what they had asked for, but they had demonstrated the power of united action. 35,000 workers had stayed off the job for six weeks in Winnipeg. The government of Canada did take notice, and in the next decades, laws were passed that would protect the rights of workers.
Violence in Northern Ireland
When Religious and Nationalist Loyalties Compete
Because of globalization and worldwide migration, your social studies class may include students with many different religious beliefs. Canada is a civic nation where freedom of religion is guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As a result, people with various religious loyalties are called upon to respect
one another’s beliefs and coexist peacefully.
But in many countries, religious and nationalist loyalties have come into conflict in the past and continue to do so today.
Religious Loyalties in Northern Ireland
The conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland has a long history. In the 16th century, the British ruled most of Ireland. But when the British rulers embraced the Protestant religion, most Irish people remained loyal Catholics.
The Protestant British rulers treated Ireland like a colony. They ordered that land belonging to the Irish be given to Scottish and English settlers. As a result, the Irish conflict has always been a mix of religious, political, and class loyalties.
But religious loyalty has always been at the heart of the conflict. In 1654, for example, all Catholics except those who worked for Protestant landowners were forced to move to Ireland’s bleak west coast. Those who refused faced death. Actions like this created tensions — and these tensions became worse over the
centuries. Civil unrest, murders, and violence were common.
In 1922, the 26 southern counties of Ireland became the independent Republic of Ireland. Most people who lived there were Catholic. The six northern counties, where most people were Protestants, stayed with Britain — as Northern Ireland.
In Northern Ireland, the troubles between Protestants and Catholics continued. Paramilitary groups on both sides engaged in murderous violence. During the 1970s, the British sent the army to keep peace, but paramilitary groups — including the largely Catholic Irish Republican Army and the Protestant
Loyalists — continued fighting. Between 1966 and 1999, more than 3500 people were killed and 36 000 were injured.
By the 1990s, many people on both sides had had enough. Negotiations for peace and for sharing political power began. In 1998, citizens of both Ireland and Northern Ireland voted to accept a settlement called the Belfast Agreement. Religion is not part of this agreement, but it is often called the Good Friday
Agreement because it was signed on a holy day for Christians. By 2008, the future of peace remained uncertain. The violence continued — though at a greatly reduced rate. Many in Ireland believe that the country should reunite
Because of globalization and worldwide migration, your social studies class may include students with many different religious beliefs. Canada is a civic nation where freedom of religion is guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. As a result, people with various religious loyalties are called upon to respect
one another’s beliefs and coexist peacefully.
But in many countries, religious and nationalist loyalties have come into conflict in the past and continue to do so today.
Religious Loyalties in Northern Ireland
The conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland has a long history. In the 16th century, the British ruled most of Ireland. But when the British rulers embraced the Protestant religion, most Irish people remained loyal Catholics.
The Protestant British rulers treated Ireland like a colony. They ordered that land belonging to the Irish be given to Scottish and English settlers. As a result, the Irish conflict has always been a mix of religious, political, and class loyalties.
But religious loyalty has always been at the heart of the conflict. In 1654, for example, all Catholics except those who worked for Protestant landowners were forced to move to Ireland’s bleak west coast. Those who refused faced death. Actions like this created tensions — and these tensions became worse over the
centuries. Civil unrest, murders, and violence were common.
In 1922, the 26 southern counties of Ireland became the independent Republic of Ireland. Most people who lived there were Catholic. The six northern counties, where most people were Protestants, stayed with Britain — as Northern Ireland.
In Northern Ireland, the troubles between Protestants and Catholics continued. Paramilitary groups on both sides engaged in murderous violence. During the 1970s, the British sent the army to keep peace, but paramilitary groups — including the largely Catholic Irish Republican Army and the Protestant
Loyalists — continued fighting. Between 1966 and 1999, more than 3500 people were killed and 36 000 were injured.
By the 1990s, many people on both sides had had enough. Negotiations for peace and for sharing political power began. In 1998, citizens of both Ireland and Northern Ireland voted to accept a settlement called the Belfast Agreement. Religion is not part of this agreement, but it is often called the Good Friday
Agreement because it was signed on a holy day for Christians. By 2008, the future of peace remained uncertain. The violence continued — though at a greatly reduced rate. Many in Ireland believe that the country should reunite
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