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The Flivver King: A Story of Ford-America
The Flivver King: A Story of Ford-America is a novel by Upton Sinclair, published in 1937, that tells the intertwined stories of Henry Ford & a fictional Ford worker Abner Shutt.
On Bagley Street in the city of Detroit, Little Abner Shutt begins the story by explaining to his mother that "there's a feller down the street says he's goin' to make a wagon that'll run without a horse." That man of course is Henry Ford. The story follows the progress & growth of Ford Motor Company thru the perspective of a number of generations of a single family.
"The Flivver King" demonstrates the effects of Scientific Management in factories. The Ford factory began with very skilled workers. Thru a process of breaking the skilled job down into simple steps, they were able to hire lower wage, less skilled individuals to do the work. The Flivver King explains how the Ford Company used scientific management to replace skilled workers while successfully increasing production.
The 1st edition, published by the UAW states on the cover, that it was printed "in an edition of 200,000 copies for its members". The book was meant to provoke & challenge its readers.
On Bagley Street in the city of Detroit, Little Abner Shutt begins the story by explaining to his mother that "there's a feller down the street says he's goin' to make a wagon that'll run without a horse." That man of course is Henry Ford. The story follows the progress & growth of Ford Motor Company thru the perspective of a number of generations of a single family.
"The Flivver King" demonstrates the effects of Scientific Management in factories. The Ford factory began with very skilled workers. Thru a process of breaking the skilled job down into simple steps, they were able to hire lower wage, less skilled individuals to do the work. The Flivver King explains how the Ford Company used scientific management to replace skilled workers while successfully increasing production.
The 1st edition, published by the UAW states on the cover, that it was printed "in an edition of 200,000 copies for its members". The book was meant to provoke & challenge its readers.
119 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1937
45 people are currently reading
811 people want to read
About the author
Upton Sinclair
729 books1,188 followersUpton Beall Sinclair, Jr. was an American author who wrote close to one hundred books in many genres. He achieved popularity in the first half of the twentieth century, acquiring particular fame for his classic muckraking novel, The Jungle (1906). To gather information for the novel, Sinclair spent seven weeks undercover working in the meat packing plants of Chicago. These direct experiences exposed the horrific conditions in the U.S. meat packing industry, causing a public uproar that contributed in part to the passage a few months later of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act. The Jungle has remained continuously in print since its initial publication. In 1919, he published The Brass Check, a muckraking exposé of American journalism that publicized the issue of yellow journalism and the limitations of the “free press” in the United States. Four years after the initial publication of The Brass Check, the first code of ethics for journalists was created. Time magazine called him "a man with every gift except humor and silence." In 1943, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Sinclair also ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a Socialist, and was the Democratic Party nominee for Governor of California in 1934, though his highly progressive campaign was defeated.
Sinclair also ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a Socialist, and was the Democratic Party nominee for Governor of California in 1934, though his highly progressive campaign was defeated.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 9, 2009
As the daughter of a now unemployed, skilled tool and die machinist, I found this a sad but completely unsurprising read, the sadder for how unsurprising it is in 2009. This book was published in 1937 and, despite the subsequent growth of unions (which absolutely improved working and wage conditions for the average auto worker, at least for a few decades), our present situation is virtually identical to the one Sinclair describes in the Flivver King.
My dad is Abner, albeit without the unwavering adoration of and dedication to a captain of industry. Other members of my family, though, still wax nostalgic for the days of working in conditions at "Ford's" or "Old Dodge Main" that they simultaneously describe as back breaking and miserable. Sinclair describes a family tale very similar in many ways to that of one side of my family, but in the early 1900s. This led me to want to beat my head against a table and wonder why, why, why Detroit has not changed, why so many people put up with sweatshop style labor for so long and call it "a good job." Well, it's because there are a lot of Abners in Detroit, and Sinclair nails their world view, while also making Abner a sympathetic figure (as auto workers who have worked like slaves generally are, unless your heart and soul died long ago).
Sinclair's eye for detail is also heart wrenching, especially if you hail from a rust belt town: Abner's terrible spelling in his letter to Mrs. Ford is identical to my uncle's emails to me, in 2009; Abner's exhaustion and damaged physique is the same as that of three men in my family, and many more I know; and the pattern of auto workers voting Republican and against their own interests is an old one that is as oft repeated today as it was then. Sigh, sigh, sigh. I don't know when we'll ever learn, and I feel like Tom Shutt even typing this, "brainwashed by Reds" at college and part of the "brain trust" with my friends (and yes, a few family members still use those exact same words).
My dad is Abner, albeit without the unwavering adoration of and dedication to a captain of industry. Other members of my family, though, still wax nostalgic for the days of working in conditions at "Ford's" or "Old Dodge Main" that they simultaneously describe as back breaking and miserable. Sinclair describes a family tale very similar in many ways to that of one side of my family, but in the early 1900s. This led me to want to beat my head against a table and wonder why, why, why Detroit has not changed, why so many people put up with sweatshop style labor for so long and call it "a good job." Well, it's because there are a lot of Abners in Detroit, and Sinclair nails their world view, while also making Abner a sympathetic figure (as auto workers who have worked like slaves generally are, unless your heart and soul died long ago).
Sinclair's eye for detail is also heart wrenching, especially if you hail from a rust belt town: Abner's terrible spelling in his letter to Mrs. Ford is identical to my uncle's emails to me, in 2009; Abner's exhaustion and damaged physique is the same as that of three men in my family, and many more I know; and the pattern of auto workers voting Republican and against their own interests is an old one that is as oft repeated today as it was then. Sigh, sigh, sigh. I don't know when we'll ever learn, and I feel like Tom Shutt even typing this, "brainwashed by Reds" at college and part of the "brain trust" with my friends (and yes, a few family members still use those exact same words).
October 4, 2016
"The only thing he could think of was to have Congress vote huge sums to his friends and beneficiaries, the great banks and corporations which had put up his campaign funds. The theory was that this money would seep down to consumers and promote trade. But what happened was that the money stayed right in the banks where he put it; they couldn't lend it unless they could see a chance of profit, and how could a business man promise a profit when he couldn't find anybody who had any money to spend?"
The book was written in 1937 as the world struggled to recover from the Great Depression. "He" was President Herbert Hoover. The theory was "trickle-down economics". It was revived by Ronald Reagan and remains the sacred cornerstone of Republican economic policy. It has never worked. In theory, it could work in a supply-constrained economy if profits were not enough of an incentive to promote industrial production. When the economy is demand constrained, as it was during the Great Depression and the recent Great Recession, it is very destructive. It takes money from the poor who spend everything and gives it to the rich who spend very little. The net effect is to reduce overall consumer spending and further depress the economy. The perverse effect is a massive loss of national wealth that penalizes primarily the very upper classes that Republicans sought to enrich.
The book was written in 1937 as the world struggled to recover from the Great Depression. "He" was President Herbert Hoover. The theory was "trickle-down economics". It was revived by Ronald Reagan and remains the sacred cornerstone of Republican economic policy. It has never worked. In theory, it could work in a supply-constrained economy if profits were not enough of an incentive to promote industrial production. When the economy is demand constrained, as it was during the Great Depression and the recent Great Recession, it is very destructive. It takes money from the poor who spend everything and gives it to the rich who spend very little. The net effect is to reduce overall consumer spending and further depress the economy. The perverse effect is a massive loss of national wealth that penalizes primarily the very upper classes that Republicans sought to enrich.
August 9, 2020
Good book. Quite different from the Ford dynasty book I just finished reading a few weeks ago. While the Ford book showed all the positive things that were accomplished throughout old Henry Ford's life, this little book told it from the flip side. It followed the life of the family that lived behind the Fords who lived on Bagley street when he invented his first car. The father of the group (Abner Shutt) even helped push the Henry's car underdevelopment home whenever it would stop while on a test drive. Abner ended up making a career at the Ford plant, advancing in jobs until he was fired. Book told about life before the unions, with production speed-ups and unjustified firing of workers. Talked about the violence associated with keeping the union (UAW) out of the plants. It also told about the apparent benevolence of Henry Ford, which in reality was mostly not followed through. He'd say one thing and do another, on a lot of occasions. It revealed how close Ford was to the Nazi party and that through Nazi Ford employees, funneled money to the Nazis. Very revealing little book. All is not always as it seems! I imagine the truth is a combination of all the books written about the Fords!
March 20, 2023
One of the best novels about work and management that I have read.
February 13, 2026
The Flivver King
The Flivver King is the story of the attempted unionization of the Ford Motor Company and was the final “muckraking” novel written by Upton Sinclair. I downloaded a fiftieth anniversary edition of the original 1937 publication from Internet Archive, which was used by the United Auto Workers as the main tool of their unionizing efforts. This commemorative edition, published by Charles H. Kerr & Co., was typeset in the original two-column format and contained a very enlightening introduction by Steve Meyer, Assistant Professor of History at Illinois Institute of Technology. To add an element of authenticity to my “manufactured e-book,” I used the original cover downloaded from Wikipedia, and substituted it for the first edition cover published by Charles H. Kerr & Co. that was intended for the general public; I have “built” several of my e-library volumes in this manner as it is the next best thing to having an original copy of a novel and helps put the story in a historical perspective, thus making for a unique reading experience.
Sinclair wrote a powerful story to convey Henry Ford’s unique form of capitalism to the original readers of this novelette; the fledgling United Auto Workers union ordered 200,000 copies of The Flivver King, which were self-published by the author, and sold them for 25 cents per copy to the employees of the Ford Motor Company. Mr. Sinclair used members of the fictional Shutt family, some of which were employed by Mr. Ford, to convey his powerful message that the workers employed by the Ford Motor Company were “wage slaves” to Henry Ford’s empire. The Flivver King was a very effective organizing tool.
The story begins in 1892 as Henry Ford, an employee of the Detroit Edison Electric Company is building his first automobile in his backyard garage. Sinclair's dating is historically inaccurate by four years as Mr. Ford built his first “horseless carriage” in 1896; perhaps the author used Ford's early version of his own PR as he was notorious for “adjusting” his resume to portray himself as the true pioneer of the American automobile. Sinclair wrote The Flivver King under a tight deadline, so it stands to reason he would have used some background information that was readily available. The story's main character is introduced as a teenage boy named Abner Shutt, who lives across the alley from Mr. Ford; along with his buddies, he watches the rather aloof “neighborhood crank” tinker with his “motorized wagon.” After many hours of grueling intellectual and manual labor, Mr. Ford eventually reaches the moment of truth and in early June he takes his “horseless carriage” for a spin; but, on the return trip it breaks down and the future American industrialist has to push it home. Later that summer Mr. Ford had perfected his “devil wagon,” as his neighbors began calling his automotive creation; Henry and his wife were often seen cruising the streets of Detroit in his primitive “horseless carriage.” The neighborhood “crank” and his wife didn't have to worry about pushing it home or turning it around as Abner Shutt and his buddies became his “pit crew.”
As the story progresses, Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and Abner enters the work force as a shipping crate builder with a machine shop. Ford's company begins to prosper and after a few years Abner, now dissatisfied with his “dead end” job decides to ask his former neighbor for a position in his company. Henry remembers the young man and hires him; thus the story revolves around both Abner Shutt and Henry Ford, with their unique relationship culminating in the final chapter.
Sinclair does a superb job in The Flivver King of mixing factual events and fictionalization in his description of the the Ford Motor Company's early history. The story appealed to the original targeted audience as it created the all important personal perspective the fledgling union was trying to convey to its future members ... that the employees of Ford's multi-million dollar empire were more than just a cog in his industrial machine; without his labor force, Ford could not have built his empire. And, it appealed to me as a reader of historical fiction; Sinclair applies just the right mixture of fact and fiction to keep the story interesting.
As the story progresses, we watch Mr. Ford's fledgling company experience phenomenal growth. He built several horseless carriages over the succeeding years but these “motor cars,” as they were now called, were really no different from the other examples of this new mode of personal transportation that was used by the affluent members of Detroit. Mr. Ford wasn't satisfied with the product he was building, as he wanted to build a motor car for the “great multitude.” His dream was finally realized in September of 1908 when he settled on the motor car that would make him famous. Known by its simple name, the Model T, it was geared for the “working folks” to partake of this marvelous twentieth century mode of transportation that would eventually replace the horse and buggy.
Affectionately known by several nicknames, two of which were the “Tin Lizzy,” and as stated in the title of this story, “The Flivver,” Henry Ford's Model T was priced low enough for the average “Joe” to become a “motorist.” Sinclair mentions Henry Ford believed in selling an “automobile,” as the “motor car” had come to be known, for the average person to use in their daily activities. He certainly accomplished that goal; when the Model T finally ended production in 1927, the Ford Motor Company had sold 15 million “flivvers” worldwide. The Model T Ford continues to hold the record of the most produced make of any single unchanged model of American automobile; the Ford F-Series pickup and the Chevrolet Impala have surpassed this iconic automobile in numbers of units sold, but they both underwent numerous model changes. Henry Ford put America on wheels and in the process, became its first billionaire.
The Flivver King paints two pictures of Henry Ford; on one hand, we see the “good Henry,” the progressive individual who truly wants to help his fellow man by supplying him with an inexpensive but reliable mode of automotive transportation. Later, as the story progresses, we see the “bad Henry,” the ruthless, conniving capitalist who controls every aspect of the components comprised in his immense automotive company; and he now considered his employees as components; if a man can't cut it, then he's cast aside and a younger man takes his place. This was the opposite approach to the dream that Henry Ford pursued. The Michigan farm boy who became a self taught automotive engineer now had become a different man; as I read The Flivver King, I was reminded of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The descriptive perspective of a person who becomes two different people as depicted in Stevenson's classic story most certainly applies to Henry Ford; Mr. Ford didn't drink a homemade concoction that brought about his transformation, but something clicked in his mind that forever changed his life; so the concept of the “good Henry” versus the “bad Henry” is apparent in The Flivver King. Sinclair does a superb job displaying this concept to the reader; it is the central theme of this excellent story.
As the tidal wave of unionism began to take hold in America, several industries were targeted to promote the concepts of unionism as they related to the industrial work force. Sinclair was himself a huge believer in the “rights of man,” which were shoved to the forefront in three of the primary industries of the early twentieth century; these were the coal mining and oil drilling industries, and forty-five years later, the automotive manufacturing industry. Upton Sinclair wrote of the unionization of these three pillars of American commerce. The struggles were violent, but Sinclair pulled no punches ... he told it like it was in his muckraking novels, with The Flivver King being no exception. He describes the concept of scientific management, a process of breaking a skilled job down into simple steps, which enabled Ford to hire lower wage, less skilled individuals to do the same work; it wasn't long until they began speeding up the assembly line. This concept was practiced throughout the Ford Motor Company and conveyed to the reader through the thoughts and actions of the Shutt family. This literary device employed by the author is what made The Flivver King such a powerful unionizing tool as it inserted the actual Ford employees into the story.
Henry Ford was adamantly opposed to unionism and as mentioned earlier, the fledgling UAW commissioned the most famous muckraking author in the country to write a fictional story to persuade the largest automobile manufacturing company to treat its employees as more than just a cog in an immense industrial machine. To drive this message home, Sinclair gives The Flivver King a tragic, but strong ending. The story ends in 1937 with the Ford Motor Company continuing as a non union shop, but victory was on the horizon. As history records, Henry Ford's company went union in June of 1941, and Upton Sinclair's The Flivver King is primarily responsible for that UAW victory. A company pension was non-existent before the union was established ... by the same token, a guaranteed government pension was non-existent until a progressive Democrat president was elected in 1932.
The Flivver King is one of the best human interest stories I have read as it shows the fundamental reason why unions are so important ... an employee who can see they are working for a secure future, made possible by a union is a much better employee to have on a company payroll. As an employer, Henry Ford learned that lesson the hard way. Sinclair's excellent novelette also paints the tragic story of an idealistic capitalist who becomes a ruthless dictatorial oligarch in his latter years. It is ironic that this former idealistic capitalist almost succeeded in bankrupting his own company. After Henry's passing, the Ford Motor Company, now led by Henry's grandson, Henry Ford II, successfully reinvented itself with yet another innovative car ... the 1949 “Shoebox” Ford, and the Ford Motor Company regained first place among American domestic manufacturers. The company also enjoyed an excellent relationship with the UAW that culminated in a landmark pension plan and improved working conditions for the 115,000 employees of Henry Ford's innovative company. Of course, these later developments were not included in The Flivver King, as they occurred twelve years after Sinclair published his excellent story, but they serve as a means to bring this excellent narrative to a justifiable conclusion.Sinclair's The Flivver King served its purpose quite well as it laid the ground work that resulted in the eventual unionization of the Ford Motor Company.
Finally, The Flivver King is a timely story; it is just as relevant today as it was almost a century ago as the word “oligarchy” has recently become front page news in twenty-first century America with the emergence of our 47th president, who exhibits both oligarchial and dictatorial overtones. Upton Sinclair's The Flivver King, the story of the transformation of Henry Ford from an innovative automobile manufacturer, and an idealistic and progressive employer, to a ruthless and oligarchical dictator is clearly presented to the reader. In conclusion, I consider The Flivver King one of Upton Sinclair's best efforts; it is a powerful story that was used as an extremely effective union organizing tool to convey the detrimental effects of Henry Ford's unique form of capitalism to the original readers of this novelette, the employees of the Ford Motor Company. Despite its tragic, yet gripping conclusion, I enjoyed reading this excellent story and it is worthy of its five star rating. *****
The Flivver King is the story of the attempted unionization of the Ford Motor Company and was the final “muckraking” novel written by Upton Sinclair. I downloaded a fiftieth anniversary edition of the original 1937 publication from Internet Archive, which was used by the United Auto Workers as the main tool of their unionizing efforts. This commemorative edition, published by Charles H. Kerr & Co., was typeset in the original two-column format and contained a very enlightening introduction by Steve Meyer, Assistant Professor of History at Illinois Institute of Technology. To add an element of authenticity to my “manufactured e-book,” I used the original cover downloaded from Wikipedia, and substituted it for the first edition cover published by Charles H. Kerr & Co. that was intended for the general public; I have “built” several of my e-library volumes in this manner as it is the next best thing to having an original copy of a novel and helps put the story in a historical perspective, thus making for a unique reading experience.
Sinclair wrote a powerful story to convey Henry Ford’s unique form of capitalism to the original readers of this novelette; the fledgling United Auto Workers union ordered 200,000 copies of The Flivver King, which were self-published by the author, and sold them for 25 cents per copy to the employees of the Ford Motor Company. Mr. Sinclair used members of the fictional Shutt family, some of which were employed by Mr. Ford, to convey his powerful message that the workers employed by the Ford Motor Company were “wage slaves” to Henry Ford’s empire. The Flivver King was a very effective organizing tool.
The story begins in 1892 as Henry Ford, an employee of the Detroit Edison Electric Company is building his first automobile in his backyard garage. Sinclair's dating is historically inaccurate by four years as Mr. Ford built his first “horseless carriage” in 1896; perhaps the author used Ford's early version of his own PR as he was notorious for “adjusting” his resume to portray himself as the true pioneer of the American automobile. Sinclair wrote The Flivver King under a tight deadline, so it stands to reason he would have used some background information that was readily available. The story's main character is introduced as a teenage boy named Abner Shutt, who lives across the alley from Mr. Ford; along with his buddies, he watches the rather aloof “neighborhood crank” tinker with his “motorized wagon.” After many hours of grueling intellectual and manual labor, Mr. Ford eventually reaches the moment of truth and in early June he takes his “horseless carriage” for a spin; but, on the return trip it breaks down and the future American industrialist has to push it home. Later that summer Mr. Ford had perfected his “devil wagon,” as his neighbors began calling his automotive creation; Henry and his wife were often seen cruising the streets of Detroit in his primitive “horseless carriage.” The neighborhood “crank” and his wife didn't have to worry about pushing it home or turning it around as Abner Shutt and his buddies became his “pit crew.”
As the story progresses, Henry Ford founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and Abner enters the work force as a shipping crate builder with a machine shop. Ford's company begins to prosper and after a few years Abner, now dissatisfied with his “dead end” job decides to ask his former neighbor for a position in his company. Henry remembers the young man and hires him; thus the story revolves around both Abner Shutt and Henry Ford, with their unique relationship culminating in the final chapter.
Sinclair does a superb job in The Flivver King of mixing factual events and fictionalization in his description of the the Ford Motor Company's early history. The story appealed to the original targeted audience as it created the all important personal perspective the fledgling union was trying to convey to its future members ... that the employees of Ford's multi-million dollar empire were more than just a cog in his industrial machine; without his labor force, Ford could not have built his empire. And, it appealed to me as a reader of historical fiction; Sinclair applies just the right mixture of fact and fiction to keep the story interesting.
As the story progresses, we watch Mr. Ford's fledgling company experience phenomenal growth. He built several horseless carriages over the succeeding years but these “motor cars,” as they were now called, were really no different from the other examples of this new mode of personal transportation that was used by the affluent members of Detroit. Mr. Ford wasn't satisfied with the product he was building, as he wanted to build a motor car for the “great multitude.” His dream was finally realized in September of 1908 when he settled on the motor car that would make him famous. Known by its simple name, the Model T, it was geared for the “working folks” to partake of this marvelous twentieth century mode of transportation that would eventually replace the horse and buggy.
Affectionately known by several nicknames, two of which were the “Tin Lizzy,” and as stated in the title of this story, “The Flivver,” Henry Ford's Model T was priced low enough for the average “Joe” to become a “motorist.” Sinclair mentions Henry Ford believed in selling an “automobile,” as the “motor car” had come to be known, for the average person to use in their daily activities. He certainly accomplished that goal; when the Model T finally ended production in 1927, the Ford Motor Company had sold 15 million “flivvers” worldwide. The Model T Ford continues to hold the record of the most produced make of any single unchanged model of American automobile; the Ford F-Series pickup and the Chevrolet Impala have surpassed this iconic automobile in numbers of units sold, but they both underwent numerous model changes. Henry Ford put America on wheels and in the process, became its first billionaire.
The Flivver King paints two pictures of Henry Ford; on one hand, we see the “good Henry,” the progressive individual who truly wants to help his fellow man by supplying him with an inexpensive but reliable mode of automotive transportation. Later, as the story progresses, we see the “bad Henry,” the ruthless, conniving capitalist who controls every aspect of the components comprised in his immense automotive company; and he now considered his employees as components; if a man can't cut it, then he's cast aside and a younger man takes his place. This was the opposite approach to the dream that Henry Ford pursued. The Michigan farm boy who became a self taught automotive engineer now had become a different man; as I read The Flivver King, I was reminded of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The descriptive perspective of a person who becomes two different people as depicted in Stevenson's classic story most certainly applies to Henry Ford; Mr. Ford didn't drink a homemade concoction that brought about his transformation, but something clicked in his mind that forever changed his life; so the concept of the “good Henry” versus the “bad Henry” is apparent in The Flivver King. Sinclair does a superb job displaying this concept to the reader; it is the central theme of this excellent story.
As the tidal wave of unionism began to take hold in America, several industries were targeted to promote the concepts of unionism as they related to the industrial work force. Sinclair was himself a huge believer in the “rights of man,” which were shoved to the forefront in three of the primary industries of the early twentieth century; these were the coal mining and oil drilling industries, and forty-five years later, the automotive manufacturing industry. Upton Sinclair wrote of the unionization of these three pillars of American commerce. The struggles were violent, but Sinclair pulled no punches ... he told it like it was in his muckraking novels, with The Flivver King being no exception. He describes the concept of scientific management, a process of breaking a skilled job down into simple steps, which enabled Ford to hire lower wage, less skilled individuals to do the same work; it wasn't long until they began speeding up the assembly line. This concept was practiced throughout the Ford Motor Company and conveyed to the reader through the thoughts and actions of the Shutt family. This literary device employed by the author is what made The Flivver King such a powerful unionizing tool as it inserted the actual Ford employees into the story.
Henry Ford was adamantly opposed to unionism and as mentioned earlier, the fledgling UAW commissioned the most famous muckraking author in the country to write a fictional story to persuade the largest automobile manufacturing company to treat its employees as more than just a cog in an immense industrial machine. To drive this message home, Sinclair gives The Flivver King a tragic, but strong ending. The story ends in 1937 with the Ford Motor Company continuing as a non union shop, but victory was on the horizon. As history records, Henry Ford's company went union in June of 1941, and Upton Sinclair's The Flivver King is primarily responsible for that UAW victory. A company pension was non-existent before the union was established ... by the same token, a guaranteed government pension was non-existent until a progressive Democrat president was elected in 1932.
The Flivver King is one of the best human interest stories I have read as it shows the fundamental reason why unions are so important ... an employee who can see they are working for a secure future, made possible by a union is a much better employee to have on a company payroll. As an employer, Henry Ford learned that lesson the hard way. Sinclair's excellent novelette also paints the tragic story of an idealistic capitalist who becomes a ruthless dictatorial oligarch in his latter years. It is ironic that this former idealistic capitalist almost succeeded in bankrupting his own company. After Henry's passing, the Ford Motor Company, now led by Henry's grandson, Henry Ford II, successfully reinvented itself with yet another innovative car ... the 1949 “Shoebox” Ford, and the Ford Motor Company regained first place among American domestic manufacturers. The company also enjoyed an excellent relationship with the UAW that culminated in a landmark pension plan and improved working conditions for the 115,000 employees of Henry Ford's innovative company. Of course, these later developments were not included in The Flivver King, as they occurred twelve years after Sinclair published his excellent story, but they serve as a means to bring this excellent narrative to a justifiable conclusion.Sinclair's The Flivver King served its purpose quite well as it laid the ground work that resulted in the eventual unionization of the Ford Motor Company.
Finally, The Flivver King is a timely story; it is just as relevant today as it was almost a century ago as the word “oligarchy” has recently become front page news in twenty-first century America with the emergence of our 47th president, who exhibits both oligarchial and dictatorial overtones. Upton Sinclair's The Flivver King, the story of the transformation of Henry Ford from an innovative automobile manufacturer, and an idealistic and progressive employer, to a ruthless and oligarchical dictator is clearly presented to the reader. In conclusion, I consider The Flivver King one of Upton Sinclair's best efforts; it is a powerful story that was used as an extremely effective union organizing tool to convey the detrimental effects of Henry Ford's unique form of capitalism to the original readers of this novelette, the employees of the Ford Motor Company. Despite its tragic, yet gripping conclusion, I enjoyed reading this excellent story and it is worthy of its five star rating. *****
February 23, 2012
The world's oldest ongoing socialist publishing house is located just a few blocks from my home in Chicago. Charles H. Kerr is known for having published the first English version of Marx's Kapital, for keeping in print many leftist classics and for publishing many surrealist texts in English. The recent death of Franklin Rosemont, manager of Kerr with his wife Penelope, may threaten the future of this national treasure.
I'd known Franklin Rosemont since high school, encountering him at the old Solidarity Bookstore on Ashland in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. He made little impression personally, but some of the broadsides he published decorated my room and were enthusiastically circulated amongst my friends.
Moving back to Chicago after seminary in 1978, then, later, rooming with his friend James Koehnline and becoming active in the SPUSA around 1980 led to our reacquaintance as adults. Franklin was no party-member, his political affiliation was with the I.W.W., but there were a lot of people in the area who carried both cards and some comrades did volunteer work for Kerr Publishers. We, the Chicago branch of the SP, started carrying Kerr books at our literature tables. I started collecting and distributing them.
The Flivver King is certainly not Sinclair's best novel, but its topic, Hitler's favorite American, publisher of The Protocals of the Elders of Zion, Henry Ford, is certainly an important figure. What Sinclair does is tell Ford's story in juxtaposition with that of one of his workers, contrasting the America of the ruling class to that of working class during the Ford era.
I'd known Franklin Rosemont since high school, encountering him at the old Solidarity Bookstore on Ashland in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. He made little impression personally, but some of the broadsides he published decorated my room and were enthusiastically circulated amongst my friends.
Moving back to Chicago after seminary in 1978, then, later, rooming with his friend James Koehnline and becoming active in the SPUSA around 1980 led to our reacquaintance as adults. Franklin was no party-member, his political affiliation was with the I.W.W., but there were a lot of people in the area who carried both cards and some comrades did volunteer work for Kerr Publishers. We, the Chicago branch of the SP, started carrying Kerr books at our literature tables. I started collecting and distributing them.
The Flivver King is certainly not Sinclair's best novel, but its topic, Hitler's favorite American, publisher of The Protocals of the Elders of Zion, Henry Ford, is certainly an important figure. What Sinclair does is tell Ford's story in juxtaposition with that of one of his workers, contrasting the America of the ruling class to that of working class during the Ford era.
January 15, 2022
A "flivver" is an old American slang term for the 'model T' the car that Henry Ford famously described as being available in any colour as long as it was black. The Flivver King gives the history of the ford motorcar empire from its inception to the end of the Herbert Hoover era. Ford pioneered the mass production (using un-skilled workers to perform narrow tasks) and took advantage of the assembly line idea (bringing the work to the worker, instead of the other way round) which greatly increased productivity and lowered costs (wages) at the ford plant. To the Chagrin of his investors Henry Ford made his fortune after taking the decision to only sell one make of car, thus lowering costs and making his "horseless wagon" available to the middle class and later even his own minimum wage workers. The novel mixes fact and fiction however and the other main character is Abner Schutt a long-suffering worker who joins the company early on and quickly gains promotion at Ford's behest. Upton Sinclair takes us through the the great depression and the first world war as Ford yearns for greater wealth and influence, writing articles for newspapers and buying up the means of production for his factory. The workers on the other hand suffer his caprice as he hirers and firers them at will, raising wages to suit his image but firing workers to offset the costs. Creative non-fiction is what it is and Upton Sinclair does a good job of delineating the two (Henry Ford story, fact, Abner Schutt, fiction). The overriding arc is that of Henry Ford's descent into neurosis and paranoia as the unions and disgruntled workers circle around him illustrated by the final (fictional) set piece.
March 22, 2012
I want to give this more stars, but I can't justify it. Sinclair is a massive figure in American history. His contributions to the narrative of American politics is undeniable, regardless of your opinions on his contributions. The Flivver King deserves to remain in our consciousness, the history it provides on Henry Ford's entanglement with anti-Semitism is crucial to the study of American industry.
But Sinclair is an awful novelist. The back and forth narrative of Abner Shutt and Henry Ford gets gimmicky around page 10. These sing-song, back and forth chapters detail Abner's oblivious nature as an exploited worker, followed by Ford's cognitive dissonance in all things labor.
Sinclair tries to make the novel entertaining in the end simply by ratcheting up his gimmick: the Shutt-Ford transitions take place between paragraphs rather than chapters. It's still predictable and flat, just with action movie cuts.
Two stars feels low for this necessary story, but you can get novels on labor with more finesse and less of Sinclair's essayist failings.
But Sinclair is an awful novelist. The back and forth narrative of Abner Shutt and Henry Ford gets gimmicky around page 10. These sing-song, back and forth chapters detail Abner's oblivious nature as an exploited worker, followed by Ford's cognitive dissonance in all things labor.
Sinclair tries to make the novel entertaining in the end simply by ratcheting up his gimmick: the Shutt-Ford transitions take place between paragraphs rather than chapters. It's still predictable and flat, just with action movie cuts.
Two stars feels low for this necessary story, but you can get novels on labor with more finesse and less of Sinclair's essayist failings.
February 25, 2018
Sinclair is a formidable author who does not shy away from taking a certain satirical approach to the realities of Henry Ford, Ford-America, and Ford's view of himself, his fellow men and the world.
The Flivver King is not only a work of fiction, but it is a window into a period of American history of industrialization and early globalization in certain respects. Thus, one must not simply read this boom as if it was a simple critical work by Sinclair, but also as a work of historical fiction.
The Flivver King is not only a work of fiction, but it is a window into a period of American history of industrialization and early globalization in certain respects. Thus, one must not simply read this boom as if it was a simple critical work by Sinclair, but also as a work of historical fiction.
March 18, 2015
This book was written by Upton Sinclair in 1937 as a propaganda piece for the UAW's organizing drive and boy, is it ever obvious. Still, it's a good, thought-provoking read - especially when you consider that scientific management is still utilized in manufacturing to this day.
October 23, 2022
In this half-fiction, half-biographical work, we followed the parallel stories of Henry Ford (rather biographic), the founder of Ford Motor Company, and Abner Shutt, a (fictional) worker at Ford’s factory from its earliest days. Throughout the book, the rise of Ford was described, along with the Shutt’s family increase in prosperity, all achieved due to his rather blind loyalty to Ford. Shutt was not very bright, but he was loyal to his boots to Ford.
Able to gain his employment due to his direct, personal relation with Ford, Shutt inadvertently introduced Ford into assembly line method of mass producing cars. While this turn Ford into a billionaire, the ever expanding business and the profit also separated him and his workers. Gone were the days when common workers could just walk up to him and speak what is in their minds. Many eccentricities of Ford were also discussed, such as his interests in social reform, peacekeeping mission during WWI, his beliefs in Americanism and also his antisemitism.
Shutts family continued to be prosperous, until the Great Depression hit hard. Lives were turned upside down, and workers family like Shutt’s were among the hardest hit. Here, the story shifted its focus to Abner’s children, and their respective fates. One was a carbon-copy of his father, able to secure better job in Ford Factory, while the second was turning into life of criminal before joining Ford’s private intelligence service, the third daughter walked the path of common women of that time, working as a clerk for a short time before marrying a middle class worker, and the fourth son worked its way into college and became part of movement to unionize automotive workers, a motive that is the main reason of why this story was made, to promote the necessity for an organization called Union Auto Workers, although not explicitly explained.
Able to gain his employment due to his direct, personal relation with Ford, Shutt inadvertently introduced Ford into assembly line method of mass producing cars. While this turn Ford into a billionaire, the ever expanding business and the profit also separated him and his workers. Gone were the days when common workers could just walk up to him and speak what is in their minds. Many eccentricities of Ford were also discussed, such as his interests in social reform, peacekeeping mission during WWI, his beliefs in Americanism and also his antisemitism.
Shutts family continued to be prosperous, until the Great Depression hit hard. Lives were turned upside down, and workers family like Shutt’s were among the hardest hit. Here, the story shifted its focus to Abner’s children, and their respective fates. One was a carbon-copy of his father, able to secure better job in Ford Factory, while the second was turning into life of criminal before joining Ford’s private intelligence service, the third daughter walked the path of common women of that time, working as a clerk for a short time before marrying a middle class worker, and the fourth son worked its way into college and became part of movement to unionize automotive workers, a motive that is the main reason of why this story was made, to promote the necessity for an organization called Union Auto Workers, although not explicitly explained.
July 28, 2024
i think this book was okay. i read it back in freshmen year for my history class and decided to re-read it because there was a specific plot-point that reminded me of our current political landscape and what i've been seeing online, which i'm going to discuss in my spoiler portion since not everyone wants to see that haha.
i personally liked the style of the novel and the way that it follows the story of Henry Ford through the Shutt family. i think the narrative choice helped to really capture the good and bad of Ford from a perspective that allows u to connect with those who are working class.
i think the story really captures the idea of how money can change a person and proposes good questions around class struggles, antisemitism, cultural conservatism, and the ethics of capitalism.
i personally liked the style of the novel and the way that it follows the story of Henry Ford through the Shutt family. i think the narrative choice helped to really capture the good and bad of Ford from a perspective that allows u to connect with those who are working class.
i think the story really captures the idea of how money can change a person and proposes good questions around class struggles, antisemitism, cultural conservatism, and the ethics of capitalism.
September 11, 2023
This book was a required reading for me in college, but I forget which class… Anyway, I went back and read it again because I remembered it having a good storyline and exposing much about Henry Ford and his rise to riches. The main character is a common working man (Sinclair with the common worker theme again.) who ends up working for Henry Ford once he finally gets his design for the Model T Ford down after much tinkering in his home garage for long hours. It goes through the growth that the business undergoes as everyone wants a car and describes the change in attitude that occurs within Ford, going from a nice energetic, and poor young man to being a furious filthy rich manager who smashes desks to pieces when something goes wrong. All the while the working man is followed and keeps his job for a long time thinking Mr. Ford to be a hero for providing him work and a living, but ultimately loses his job, gets forgotten about, and tossed to the side to become a broke struggling man while Ford continues to get richer. It's another socialistic-minded book as The Jungle, but is a great read as Sinclair is a worthy author. Highly recommend.
September 3, 2025
3.5/5
Upton Sinclair sevdiğim yazarlardan. Bu okuduğum dördüncü kitabı ve beklentimin biraz altında kaldı. Hikaye iki farklı karakterle hareket ediyor. Bir yanda Abd'nin ilk kapitalisti sayılabilecek olan Henry Ford diğer yanda onun hikayesiyle kendi hikayesini yazmaya çalışan işçi Abner Shutt. Henry Ford'un Ford şirketinin kurmasıyla yükselen kariyeri ve refahı ile onun yanında işe girerek ona hayran ve minnettar olan bir işçi. Tabii ki bu durumda işçinin hikayesi hep Ford'a bağlı olarak yükselip düşüyor. Kurgu bunun üstüne kurulu temelde ABD rüyasının iki farklı yansıması. Biri gerçek, diğeri serap. Upton Sinclair önceki kitaplarında olduğu gibi burada da kapitalizmin korkunç yüzünü ve işçi sorunlarını bu sefer biraz biyografik bir Henry Ford romanıyla iç içe geçirmiş. Beklentimin altında kalan kısmı önceki kitaplarına kıyasla fazla biyografiye kayması ve daha yumuşak bir eleştiri yapmış olması.
Upton Sinclair sevdiğim yazarlardan. Bu okuduğum dördüncü kitabı ve beklentimin biraz altında kaldı. Hikaye iki farklı karakterle hareket ediyor. Bir yanda Abd'nin ilk kapitalisti sayılabilecek olan Henry Ford diğer yanda onun hikayesiyle kendi hikayesini yazmaya çalışan işçi Abner Shutt. Henry Ford'un Ford şirketinin kurmasıyla yükselen kariyeri ve refahı ile onun yanında işe girerek ona hayran ve minnettar olan bir işçi. Tabii ki bu durumda işçinin hikayesi hep Ford'a bağlı olarak yükselip düşüyor. Kurgu bunun üstüne kurulu temelde ABD rüyasının iki farklı yansıması. Biri gerçek, diğeri serap. Upton Sinclair önceki kitaplarında olduğu gibi burada da kapitalizmin korkunç yüzünü ve işçi sorunlarını bu sefer biraz biyografik bir Henry Ford romanıyla iç içe geçirmiş. Beklentimin altında kalan kısmı önceki kitaplarına kıyasla fazla biyografiye kayması ve daha yumuşak bir eleştiri yapmış olması.
October 25, 2020
THE FLIVVER KING | Sinclair, Upton
Published in 1937 by the UAW (yup, that literally powerhouse), written by the infamous Upton Sinclair, The Flivver King is a story of Henry Ford and a fictional worker, Abner Shutt.
Flivver is an early 20th Century slang term for an inexpensive automobile, often applied to the Model T.
This “novel,” along with their trademark violence, helped the UAW turn the workforce tide against Ford and unionize 4 years later. From this perspective - and nearly only this one - is it a read of interesting historical contribution. As a Michiganian, it is always pleasant to read tomes with landmarks of local recognition.
The storytelling is utterly unimaginative and uncritically agitprop; in other words, Upton Sinclair wrote a crappy novel. If you are a Michigan nerd or have lost access to other books it’s an option; just saying.
Published in 1937 by the UAW (yup, that literally powerhouse), written by the infamous Upton Sinclair, The Flivver King is a story of Henry Ford and a fictional worker, Abner Shutt.
Flivver is an early 20th Century slang term for an inexpensive automobile, often applied to the Model T.
This “novel,” along with their trademark violence, helped the UAW turn the workforce tide against Ford and unionize 4 years later. From this perspective - and nearly only this one - is it a read of interesting historical contribution. As a Michiganian, it is always pleasant to read tomes with landmarks of local recognition.
The storytelling is utterly unimaginative and uncritically agitprop; in other words, Upton Sinclair wrote a crappy novel. If you are a Michigan nerd or have lost access to other books it’s an option; just saying.
April 5, 2020
This one was for my US History Class (205). I didn’t know how bad of a guy Henry Ford was, so it was interesting to learn about him. From an educational standpoint, it was great. I learned a lot about Ford, Industrialization, the Depression and a lot of social norms. Sometimes it was hard to follow because the facts were hard to understand. Although the story itself was fairly good. Overall, I think there’s a lot packed into this book, almost too much. When I’m older I’ll probably appreciate it much more.
December 24, 2018
I learned a lot about Henry Ford in this readable historical fiction by Sinclair. To be honest, I hadn't even heard of it until my daughter told me her friend was reading it for a college class. Happy to find an old copy in our public library--possibly a first edition, published by Upton Sinclair himself.
August 26, 2020
Like all novels written with a point to be made, this one by Upton Sinclair was a tough read. It was clear from the beginning that Mr. Ford was going to be the villain. Those expectations were not disappointed.
What made it a difficult read was Mr. Sinclair's writing style, which was more of the 19th Century than the 20th. It was the literary equivalent of a spoonful of caster oil. No bueno.
What made it a difficult read was Mr. Sinclair's writing style, which was more of the 19th Century than the 20th. It was the literary equivalent of a spoonful of caster oil. No bueno.
November 11, 2021
It's been a minute since I hopped on GoodReads (mainly because I haven't read much lol), but I thought I'd give a this a lil review or whateva. I had to read this for school, and I was left pretty underwhelmed. Oh whale. Anyways I'll see y'all in six months or however long it takes me to finish Clash of Kings (only 800 more pages to go weeeeeeeeeeeee)
December 3, 2022
Still thinking about my visit to Detroit over a month ago and I found this one by accident in the library. It's an interesting mix of historical fact and fiction. The back and forth narrative structure may be gimmicky to some but for a novel of this length I found it to be a nice change of pace.
November 15, 2025
“The old man had managed to develop water-tight compartments in his head, and could be sure that "agitators" were dangerous and wicked, and at the same time could talk with two of them and not disagree with anything they said”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2023
Especially interesting to read right after I finished reading America's Assembly Line by David Nye.
August 21, 2025
Fast paced, arousing, infuriating, insightful. Upton Sinclair is a master - though this book is a little too on the nose.
June 29, 2023
Upton Sinclair bu kitabında, Henry Ford’un hikayesini merkeze alarak A.B.D. otomobil endüstrisini anlatır. Bu romanda, Henry Ford’un otomobil üretmeye başladığı zamandan artık bir sanayi devi olduğu döneme kadarki kısım tarihi birçok olay ile birlikte çok güzel aktarılmış. Yazar tarihi gerçekler ile kurgu karakterleri bence kusursuz birleştirmiş. Otomobil endüstrisinin gelişimi ile birlikte orta sınıfın yükselmesi ve bunun ne gibi sonuçlar doğurduğuna ilişkin etkileyici sosyal yorumlar var. Orta sınıfa ait bir ailenin dönem dönem yaşadıklarını Abner Shutt ve ailesi üzerinden her detayı ile görebiliyoruz.
Endüstrileşmenin aslında toplum üzerinde nasıl derin bir etki yarattığını görüyoruz. Sanayide inanılmaz paralar kazanılırken, sıradan işçiler gittikçe zorlaşan hayat koşulları ile mücadele etmek zorunda kalıyorlar. Bütün bunların yanında, Henry Ford’un işçilerinin sendika kurabileceklerini belirtmesine rağmen, bunun olmaması için elinden geleni yaptığını okuyoruz.
İlgimi çeken noktalar, Ford’un Amerikan halkının düşüncelerini yaşayış tarzlarını etkilemek için oldukça çalışmış olması. Yahudi karşıtlığı yazılar yayınlacağı bir gazete satın alıyor hatta bu yazılar kitaplaştırılıyor. İnsanlar gerçekten Henry Ford’a o kadar bağlılar ki bir dönem, onun tarafından çok iyi manipüle ediliyorlar.
Bu şekilde, Ford aslında sadece bir sanayi devi olmakla kalmayıp çalışanların, Amerikan halkının düşüncelerini yaşayış tarzlarını etkilemek için oldukça çalışmış. Çıkardığı Yahudi karşıtı gazete yazıları, kitaplar, çalışanların hayatlarına müdahale eden prim sistemleri gibi.
Okuduğum ilk Upton Sinclair kitabıydı. Diğer kitaplarından da fırsat buldukça okuyacağım.
September 14, 2010
The period between the 1890s and the Second World War formed America as we know it today and this fascinating portrait of early Detroit (a long way from the 8 Mile city of today), takes the reader through a process of fast technological and social change.
The book features two heroes, ordinary Ford plant worker Abner Shutt and the big boss man himself, still the most influential industrialist we have seen. It's a polemical piece from the openly socialist Sinclair: Ford's anti-semitism isn't glossed over, athough at times he comes across as a simple man who was easily led, much like Shutt himself.
The vice like grip of supply and demand is also well understood although dire consequences for the working class are always up front. It's in many way a US, macro-level companion to Robert Tressell's classic, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.
The book features two heroes, ordinary Ford plant worker Abner Shutt and the big boss man himself, still the most influential industrialist we have seen. It's a polemical piece from the openly socialist Sinclair: Ford's anti-semitism isn't glossed over, athough at times he comes across as a simple man who was easily led, much like Shutt himself.
The vice like grip of supply and demand is also well understood although dire consequences for the working class are always up front. It's in many way a US, macro-level companion to Robert Tressell's classic, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists.
September 24, 2016
La manera en la que las dos historias paralelas se desarrollan es muy acertada y se nota que Sinclair estaba apasionado por este tema. Pero qué se puede hacer en este mundo industrial para evitar que la gente quede desempleada a causa de nuevos avances? Creo que parecía algo muy impactante en ese entonces porque era novedoso, pero era inevitable que se perdieran trabajos para mejorar la eficiencia. Nunca se hubiera regado tanto un invento como el carro si no fuera posible producirlos en masa. Claro, la pérdida de trabajos era inevitable, pero quizá la reacción de Ford pudiera haber sido más de ayuda con sus ex-empleados. Eso es lo que parece ser obvio, pero claro que todo es más complicado de lo que parece así que no le extiendo tanta simpatía ni tanta aversión a Ford (en el puro aspecto de la producción en masa, assembly line y pérdida de trabajos, de resto era una rata lol)
February 6, 2009
Never has the rise of industrialist De-troit seemed so elegantly retarded. Weirdest discovery: Greenfield Village was created, indirectly, as a result of Henry Ford needing another creative outlet after finding out he couldn't write op-ed pieces in his newspaper trashing the Jews anymore. I wonder if the drunk Abe Lincoln impersonator at the Eagle Tavern knows about that...
February 21, 2013
It was very interesting to read a bit about how things changed slowly for both the workers and the management. Sinclair did a good job in telling the story and presenting the conflicts within a single family. That being said it still seemed a bit abrupt in the jump from "everything's great" to "everything sucks".
June 29, 2019
simply written book that explains exactly how america works and always has. you couldnt ask for a better example of why our country has so many rules and checks and balances. easier and overall better than the jungle. this wasnt even intended to be a novel, the union asked sinclair to write a brochure on the necessity of unions( when they were) and out popped this novel.
October 11, 2007
Got this from Seth. It tells the early history of the Ford Company and unions from the perspective of one family, which made the whole thing more compelling. It's a quick read, since it was designed to be accessible to the unionizing auto workers.
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