Poor rural whites were historically dismissed as idle and unproductive both because they did not own land and because they were constantly on the move; they were seen as lazy because they resisted factory work, viewing it as demeaning and an assault on male liberty and authority.
factualpending
Speaker
Nancy EisenbergEvidence Quote
“not only were these people they were dismissed as idle and unproductive not only because they didn't own land but they were constantly on the move...the men are lazy and idle and not working and that they make women do all the work...because they thought it was beneath their dignity to do this kind of work”
Source
Nancy Isenberg - White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America— Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter CollegeCreated: 8/12/2026, 6:12:44 PM
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