Federal child labor policies in America, 1912 to 2002: A historical materialist view

This study examined the relationship between the development of federal child labor policy and the developments within the U.S. economy from 1912 to 2012 from an historical materialist perspective. This was an exploratory, descriptive, historical, policy analysis that employed the theoretical framework of historical materialism to provide insights into the ways that economic forces impact on the development of child labor policy. The texts for analysis included books, articles and congressional records on the nature, subject and development of child labor law. This study sought to answer the following two research questions: (1) What are the federal child labor policies enacted during the industrial age (1912--1952), the expansion of the service sector (1952--1972) and the globalization in the electronic age (1972--2002)? (2) What is the relationship between the changes in the economy (i.e., technology, changing productive forces and capital's need for various kinds of labor) and enactment of federal policies that affect the conditions of child labor in the manufacturing, service and agricultural industries (where applicable) during the industrial age, the expansion of the service sector and globalization in the electronic age?;The findings suggested that over the period of 1912 to 2002, a total of sixteen laws, with child labor provisions, were introduced into the Congress. Of the sixteen laws, one was never passed and two were repealed. The analysis indicates that legislation designed to protect children were actual provisions in laws designed to address a labor force in crisis. The child labor provisions that were enacted throughout the twentieth century resulted from the larger struggle between labor and capital. At points of intense pressure, capitalists were forced to concede to a labor force which was demanding work, standard working conditions and basic minimum wages. Despite this pressure, there is no comprehensive child labor law banning the use of children sixteen and below in the work force. The moral appeal from the social reform movements against child labor had less impact on the establishment of child labor laws in comparison to the increasing conflict between labor and capital. Legal restrictions against child labor were primarily applied to the manufacturing and service industries in an effort to bring adults back into the workforce. Yet, the absence of stronger provisions in the agricultural sector for children from general labor policy indicated the contradiction of efforts by the Congress to protect its children in a sector where lower skilled level was readily used. The significance of these findings lies in the contradictions of American values towards the well being of its most vulnerable population. Recommendations for future research include further research on policy and the analysis of the very root causes of child labor that stem from the economic system of global capitalism.