I disparage over the use of the meaning of the word luddite, they had nothing against technology. There are far more fitting groups who deserve that moniker.
They actually had more in common with anarchists, punks, beatniks and protesters than rosey eyed mill workers who thought things were always better in the past and someone ought to tear down the machinery in order to make it that way, it's hardly worth getting hung for or jail. It was about sticking it to the man, ahead of their own time if anything.
They knew alot about the design and construction of the factories they attacked and knew which parts were going to knock it out and strike a fatal blow for a long time.
If you want to know how much of a lasting effect it had on history, they completely redesigned factories because of the fear they inspired surrounding them, look at alot of old factories and they always have high windows and none on the ground floor level and brick built rather than wood.
The also moved quite quickly, in a kind of flash mob to make sure it would happen so fast and with so many people that nobody could be precisely identified. The fact that only a relatively few people were caught suggests the local population supported them and covered for them.
The army also maintained a presence around northern areas of england for a long time for the fear it could happen again.
If there was any group that was good at wrecking things, then these guys probably elevated it to an art form, thing is they had to know something about the technology in order to effectively destroy it, like i said, was hardly worth going to jail for wrecking a machine that would only put the factory out for a day or two.
It was just the highly selective and sudden and organized nature of the attacks that makes them so interesting as far as a protest movement goes.
Michael W
Edited By Michael Walters on 10/11/2016 00:21:37