The Luddites, followers of the legendary Ned Ludd, were bands of British Artisans who in the beginning of the nineteenth century smashed textile-making machines and burned down factories in the early stage of the industrial revolution...

The Industrial Revolution had an effect on the imagination of society, it made people think that their culture was to be judged solely by its commercial success in a struggle of which the whole world was now the arena. The test of success was the test of profits :if a society could make its social and political conditions favorable to the earning of high profits that society was prosperous.1

As a theme the Industrial revolution has been subject to bulks of critical papers resulting to an abundance of literature, scholar exploration and surveys researching its effects on the social and economic structure of society; the quality of life; laboring and the emerging of new social classes. Nonetheless one distinct feature, considerably investigated, but rather unknown, would be the chapter of the Luddites. The legendary counterrevolution movement of the skilled English artisans, who spiritedly and actively opposed to the evolutionary one-way of the industrial revolution and to the effects that it would have on their livelihood.

It has been argued among social historians that: 'The Luddites were desperate bands of weavers who hated machines' or that the Luddites were involved in a emotional 'pointless frenzied industrial Jaquering.' Opposition to these views supports that the Luddites were well aware of their social status; as well as their potential power and that they organized in a early form of 'conscious class struggle' using 'collective bargain by riot' as a means of pressure, when all other measures had failed. 

Nedd Ludd

In England at least as early as the middle ages all craft would have been organized in the guild system. The Guilds were forms of early associations of individuals practicing the same art/craft. A guild lied anywhere between an association, a brotherhood, a craft fellowship and a secret society. A typical taxonomy would divide guilds into two types the merchant guilds and the craft guilds. It was in fact the antagonism of the two guilds or rather the pursuit of the first for profit (along with the ingenuity of engineers) that led to the explosion of mass production.

The existence of the craft guilds was developed, on the grounds of common interest and self protection of the craftsmen ensuring independence against the city lords and authorities. Retrospecting even earlier during the formation of the first cities, people usually came to medieval towns or cities (being social and economic centers) in order to trade or sell their goods. The Towns or cities were usually owned by lords, the role of the lord was to tax the artisans and merchants in return of protection within the walls of the city. Prosperous towns would attract more merchants and artisans resulting to an increased share of taxes for the lord and the city authorities.