A Comparative Analysis of Two Articles on Canadian Labor Reform

This essay provides a comparative analysis of two articles focusing on Canadian labor reform. The first article, referencing the work of Christina Barr, discusses the rhetoric of labor reform, while the second, by Gregory S. Kealey, examines the Knights of Labor in Ontario. The essay highlights the contrasting viewpoints on trade unionism, the role of militant labor movements, and the influence of figures like John L. Lewis and George Brown. It explores the historical context of the 1880s to 1930s, the adoption of foreign models, and the evolution of labor demands. The analysis considers the structure and effectiveness of the Knights of Labor, contrasting it with the more open and locally-focused approach advocated by Brown. The essay argues that Kealey's article offers a more convincing perspective by emphasizing the importance of addressing local needs and aspirations in the Canadian labor movement. The comparison underscores the significance of understanding the historical context and the diverse approaches to labor reform.

Running head: COMPARING TWO ARTICLES
Comparing two articles
Name of the Student:
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Critical Review
The articles published by Christina Barr as "The Other Side: The rhetoric of Labor
reform" was critically analyzed to find the contrast between the two with arguments and
examples with the article published by Gregory S Kealey named "The bonds of Unity: The
Knights of Labor in Ontario. The articles to be compared are from the Canadian scene of labor
reforms where the idea of reform of workmen and women was introduced in 1880 which saw
great growth in strength in 1900 till 1930. The Union Leader and politician John L. Lewis came
up with a line of tough people and fighters in the labor movement giving it a militant shape with
falsehoods. The childhood of John was developed by Clinton S Golden to develop an order of
people who would resist the employers for the labor's demands. Clint found the United Steel
Workers of America and found John as his successor. The trademark of this Order was bitter
class wars against the employers which succumbed to the employer's pressure in the 1890s
(Kealey & Palmer, 1981). The bitterness of the order was such that it failed to gain the labor's
sympathy and left a bad taste for the kind of militant trade union wars conducted which
devastated many businesses making many in the order believing in the fundamentals of John
being wrong and hateful. Further, they wanted to build one trade union for all workers from all
sectors to make the organization powerful irrespective of the jobs that they do or the kind of
payments they receive. So the observers believed it took a shape of a socialist political party
partially instead of being labor-centric.
However, in the bonds of Unity by Keales shows a different picture of the trade unionism
of Canada which refused to take any kind of model adoption which is foreign. The belief was
that all labor has their rights and own needs which they should be able to express and get the
solution of. In such a case he proposed that not all people demands the same or desired the kind

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of benefits which suites others. The early thinking in Toronto of 1870s was done by George
Brown who published newspaper articles to get the nine-hour of working for all labors of the
nation (Burr, 1871). Previous expressions were coming from the middle-class politicians and
made the employers identify the workers as a class to be feared. This kind of behavior of the
workers of Canada was imported from the English ways of trade unionism which were the
English model, unsuitable for Canadian conditions. However, the masculinity of the working
class was not shown by all and such influence was developed by the politicians of the middle
class who has less or no idea of the labor needs. This was due to the mouthpieces of the working
class who suggested they represent the working class the best so they brought in their notion of
radical trade unionism in the own ideas which had no such role in actual Canadian labor
demands. Hence it can be said that the model was hired from England of which Canada was then
part of. However, post war period made the workers have a different view where Brown express
that the reduction of working hours to 9 hours and made a rally in 1872 in Ontario. This was a
localized rally with legitimate Canadian labor demands where he called the militant trade
unionism as the foreign Agitators or agents of English trade due to their affinity to terms labors
of Canada being equated with English workers.
Therefore, the article published by Gregory S Kealey named "The bonds of Unity: The
Knights of Labor in Ontario is more convincing than the other. However, the difference is of the
view where one floats the idea of Knights of Labor which was a Socialist militant order with
hierarchy. The Knights of the order in the first article suggest that the rituals were more
important in the order to make one enter the group in one of its hierarchy depending on their
class. This was supposed to build a class system within the ranks which was itself a flawed idea
since the people in the order had their own specific role and were not all related to discuss or

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debate on issues freely. This made the Order astringent mix of people who were more bothered
to create a political institution over the plights of the common labors. The validity of such style
of Labor trade union was not of Canadian origin and was not suitable for the larger population as
well. So the structure was made to define the class structures within the organization to give
specific individuals their place based on merits and intellect. This created a gap where the
structures were emerging but the ideas were coming from the top rather than the bottom to see
that the people for whom this was made are taken full care of. So the reforms were restricted
based on the hierarchy of the order making the people reach the top with time difficult. Again,
the body made for labor movement which transcends the actual cause to represent what the
middle-class boss of the order had to say. Such representation made the order to fail since the
elements of the local Canadian public was missing from its ranks and it has political connections
which again suppressed the cause which would help them directly.
In the second case, the openness of ideas and flow of labor communications at all levels
were possible as its open structures and beliefs were related to the organization as Brown
understood that the barter of employee welfare is dependent on the organization's health. So as
per the health of the business the labor's may demand which is feasible by the business to
provide like lesser working time, wages as per the working time is given by the labor like
flexibilities. Therefore, the idea of Order and Knights were Anglo Saxon in its ways where
Brown gave an alternative of local labor issues which were very much a part of the local people
and their aspirations over the imported labor reform ideas and ways.

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Reference List
Burr, C. (1871). The Other Side: The Rhetoric of Labour Reform in Toronto during the
1870s.”. Ontario since Confederation: A Reader, 55-73.
Kealey, G., & Palmer, B. (1981). The Bonds of Unity: The Knights of Labor in Ontario, 1880-
1900. Histoire sociale/Social History, 14(28).