In fact, one of the first recorded instances of a general strike by workers happened in ancient Egypt.

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1089/the-first-labor-strike-in-history/

  • hexaflexagonbear [he/him]
    ·
    2 years ago

    For the pyramids the labour was done by farmers during the off-season as well, was it not?

    • zifnab25 [he/him, any]
      ·
      edit-2
      2 years ago

      I mean, it depends on your view of wage labor and the Egyptian system of taxation that ultimately funded these tombs.

      But as we understand it, Egyptian laborers were paid in commoditized agricultural surplus. I believe garlic was a big part of it.

      • Frank [he/him, he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        The strike document specifically mentions that the workers hadn't received the beer and onions they were due.

      • Teekeeus
        ·
        edit-2
        17 days ago

        deleted by creator

    • Judge_Juche [she/her]
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      edit-2
      2 years ago

      I've read it was like an early form of make-work project, instead of having all these farmers sitting around during the wet season you pay them to build pyramids or like a big local infrastructure project like dams and roads. It would keep the economy going during the seasonal lull and give people something to do so they don't foment rebellion.