ConjectureSuperseded

Nineteenth century workers held output down on purpose, and each of them was right to. Under piece rates, a man who worked harder proved to the boss that the rate was too high, and a man who invented a faster method brought on a rate cut, so his gain became everyone's loss. Part I quotes Kanigel: too high an output and the rate would be cut as sure as the sunrise, and all the men would suffer, so a man producing too much was seen as sacrificing his friends on the altar of his own greed. Workers conspired to keep anyone from working faster than anyone else, and veterans pressured newcomers into line. The restraint was individually rational and collectively impoverishing.

Capital mechanisms