Death and Rebirth of the American Mill Town

The problem of power in nineteenth century mill towns rests on a conflict between employer absolutism and the democratic rights of the employees. The treatment of power in recent community studies has been inadequate. This is particularly true in works influenced by symbolic anthropology, where the problem is seen to have been resolved in a consensual value system. However, the persistence of conflict in strikes and disorder compels an examination of the mechanisms of domination, as well as legitimacy. To this end, the ideas of Marx and Weber offer more valuable guidance than those of Durkheim.