George Barnett, Presidential Address to the American Economic Association, 1932 “The influence of American unionism is slowly being limited by changes that destroy the foundation on which it stands. The changes in the law are likely to have negatively affected unionism. Certainly, the growth of large corporations has. But... beyond these influences, the relative decline in the power of unionism is due to occupational changes and the technological revolution. “The changes - occupational and technological - that slowed the advance of unionism in the last decade seem likely to continue in the same direction. It is risky to prophesy, but I see no reason to believe that American unionism will be so revolutionized in a short period of time as to become in the next decade a more powerful social influence than it has been in the past decade.

Questions:

1. What did Barnett mean when he said that “changes in the law,” “the growth of large corporations,” “occupational changes,” and the “technological revolution” are undermining unions? Remember he is writing in 1932. Was he right?

2. Would you agree or disagree with Barnett's prophecy today? Why or why not?