F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead, ‘Introduction’ to H. Hills and M. Woods, Industrial Unrest: A Practical Solution (1914), p. vi
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The Conservative Party is the parent of trade unionism, just as it is the author of the Factory Acts. At every stage in the history of the nineteenth century it is to Toryism that trade unionism has looked for help and support against the oppressions of the Manchester School of liberalism, which cared nothing for the interests of the state, and regarded men as brute beasts whose labour could be bought and sold at the cheapest price, irrespective of all other considerations.

— F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead on Trade unions

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The Conservative Party is the parent of trade unionism, just as it is the author of the Factory Acts. At every stage in the history of the nineteenth century it is to Toryism that trade unionism has looked for help and support against the oppressions of the Manchester School of liberalism, which cared nothing for the interests of the state, and regarded men as brute beasts whose labour could be bought and sold at the cheapest price, irrespective of all other considerations." in the context of "F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead, ‘Introduction’ to H. Hills and M. Woods, Industrial Unrest: A Practical Solution (1914), p. vi" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Trade unions" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app

About F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead

Frederick Edwin Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead, GCSI, PC (12 July 1872 – 30 September 1930) was a British Conservative statesman and lawyer of the early 20th century. He was a skilled orator, noted for his staunch opposition to Irish nationalism, his wit, pugnacious views, and hard living and drinking. He is perhaps best remembered today as Winston Churchill's greatest personal and political friend until Smith's untimely death at age 58.