Edward Thompson and Industrial Capitalism

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Sociology
Edward Thompson and industrial capitalism
Thompson looked into the rise of industrialism from the transition of the task oriented preindustrial period to industrial production characterized by clock dependence and timed work. The preindustrial era was also characterized with uneven rhythms, where the emphasis was on completion of tasks and routines. On the contrary, the post industrial rhythms were synonymous with using the standard clock, with time measured to synchronize labor (Thompson 80). The post industrial rhythms are then associated with transition to technological innovations and the rise of capitalist principles, including exploiting workers.
Thompson signaled that the task oriented work of the pre-industrial societies focused on the task themselves, with the interaction of human, local and technological context. The author further points out that timing work would have been illogical while this was more humanly comprehensible compared to timed labor. However, after engaging in intense work, the people were likely to have periods of idleness. Peoples work was influenced by seasons and customs, but Thomson ignored the role of time especially in meetings and market days.
The industrial capitalist discipline influenced modernity changes work patterns and group identity, by introducing new modes of production. Nonetheless, with the rise of capitalism in Europe there was indyustrial resistance between the capitalist and the non capitalist modes of production, with resistance being individualized or collective. Even as there was transition to industrial capitalism, there were changes in power relations. This was also associated to resistance to change because of labor resistance (Thompson 80).
  The Protestant ethic highlighted the case for using time wisely and working hard as a duty (Thompson 87). Hence, the Puritans in modern industrial period increasingly critiqued idleness and discipline for working hard. The Protestant ethic may h...