Lord Byron was a Luddite. The Romantic poet’s only speech in the House of Lords defended the followers of Ned Ludd, who were smashing the mechanical looms in England during the early 1800s because they feared the machines would put people out of work. Back then, some believed that technology would create unemployment. They were wrong. The industrial revolution made England richer and increased the total number of people in work, including in the fabric and clothing industries.
拜倫爵士(Lord Byron)生前是個盧德主義者。這位浪漫派詩人在英國上議院(House of Lords)只發表過一次演講,就是為內德?盧德(Ned Ludd)的追隨者辯護。十九世紀初,盧德派分子在英國各地打砸紡織機,因為他們擔心機器會讓工人失業。那時,有人相信,技術會導致失業。他們錯了。工業革命讓英國變得更加富裕,增加了總就業人數,包括紡織業的就業人數。