Business Quote by Howard Zinn
““That contract law was intended to discriminate against working people and for business is shown by Horwitz in the following example of the early nineteenth century: the courts said that if a worker signed a contract to work for a year, and left before the year was up, he was not entitled to any wages, even for the time he had worked. But the courts at the same time said that if a building business broke a contract, it was entitled to be paid for whatever had been done up to that point.””
About This Quote
Source Book: A People’s History of the United States, 1980
Early contract law favored businesses over workers, allowing employers to break contracts without pay while penalizing workers who left early.
In simple terms: Old laws let bosses break contracts, but punished workers who left.
Key Takeaway
Advocate fair labor contracts.
Themes
law
labor rights
historical injustice
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- employment negotiations
- legal reforms
- worker advocacy
Key Concepts
Contract law
economic power dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure equitable contracts today?
- What lessons do historic labor abuses teach?
A Different Perspective
Modern law still shows power imbalances.
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