Counterculture/Labor Wars

The Labor Wars is what is commonly used to refer to the most violent period of the Lone Star Republic's labor movement. It is one of the most violent outbreaks of class warfare to occur in the world, due in part to the the virtual non-involvement of the government. Between 1912 and 1940 over 29,000 people were killed in armed, sometimes pitched, battles between laborers and business-hired soldiers.

The Labor Wars brought about dramatic changes in the Lone Star Republic. Some of the most obvious are serious restrictions on child labor, the 44 hour work week, Social Security, Medical Care, and the growth of the Labor Party.

Background

Before the beginning of the Labor Wars, the Lone Star Republic had very few laws regarding businesses. Until the big population boom in the early 1900's, the LSR had a serious shortage of workers, having never been heavily populated. With the influx of workers, primarily immigrants, and the discovery of many of the natural resources the LSR, many industries experienced rapid growth. Companies found themselves in positions where they could dictate the terms of employment for the first time. Coupled with the lack of legal oversight, this led to very poor working conditions and serious economic struggles for many of the workers.

With its frontier mentality, the Lone Star Republic's populace have always valued handling problems personally. Their can-do attitude, as well as access to and familiarity with firearms, were a final straw in the volatile situation.