Technology And Resistance: An Analysis Of The Printers' Movement In Modern Shanghai From The Perspective Of Media History

The modern Shanghai working-class' movement is one after another,and the performance of the printers is particularly dazzling.As a typical skilled worker,the struggle pattern and frequency of printing workers are different from those of unskilled workers.The purpose of this article is to find out how printing workers arose revolution,and why printing workers,rather than unskilled workers like reeling workers,became the pioneers of the working class' movement.By reviewing modern history,we can easily find the important role played by Media.Different from the traditional research's emphasis on the role of ideology,this article explores how technological change is related to production,commerce,and politics from the perspective of Media History,and how factors like social organizations,relational networks,and culture work together to induce the class consciousness and radical activism of the printers.Since western printing has been introduced into China in modern times,the local printing industry has developed rapidly,and a group of printing workers has been born.With the change of production tools and the control of patriarchy,the original production autonomy was deprived,and the printing craftsman became a worker in the "desperate workshop".Nevertheless,compared with workers in other industries,the salary of printers is still at the upstream level,which is really a "noble worker".The improvement of the level of mechanization calls for a new industrial form and management model.The pursuit of production efficiency and order has brought deep pain to the physical and mental health of the printing workers.The printing workers did not choose to be silent and tolerant.The mastery of skills allowed the printing workers to have more bargaining chips when negotiating with the management,so that the workers could initiate a fierce resistance movement at any time.According to the technology held,several trade union organizations have been differentiated within the printing workers,and the concentration of power makes collective behavior possible.The resistance at this time not only stems from the appeal of economic interests,but also the shadow of political resistance.In addition,relying on the original geographical relationship,a decentralized and close social network was formed within the workers' group and between workers and foreman called ‘NO.1'.This hidden and ubiquitous connection makes the workers' resistance behavior more complicated.With the development of technology and commerce,the prosperity of printed products has also inspired the unique identity of the printing workers,making it the target of the spread of new cultural thoughts,and subtly cultivated its class consciousness.Under the leading trend of technological development and the continuous interaction of technological logic with social factors,conflicts and changes seem to be inevitable.These dynamic and interlaced forces may be the deep-seated reason for the printing workers to eventually become the vanguard of the working class' movement.