[揽瓜阁精读] 14. 美国工匠

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14. 美国工匠
P1 - The artisan of the NA in the 18th century was granted little respect. The social elite valued those who did no manual labor higher.
      This elite depended on mechanics in the rebellion. => After the revolution, 'mechanic' represented a segment of society that contributed to the economic and political well-being of the new nation.
P2 - Yet,
      artisan's economic position was undermined by the production modes changes. Master craftspeople hired unskilled workers and machinery to reduce cost. The percentage of artisans in the workforce had decreased sharply.