Many were forced into lower-paying jobs, at least for a time. But a positive result of this early wave of automation was that the common person could now afford a well-made wardrobe rather than a single shirt. And over time, whole new industries were formed as a result of automation. The resulting prosperity was the primary factor that destroyed the original Luddite movement. Although the Luddites have passed into history, they’ve remained a powerful symbol of those who protest being left behind by technological progress.
