Changes

The problem is that Niebuhr never talked to the workers. He assumed they were automatons with crushed feelings. In fact, as many studies of assembly lines have shown, the work may have been dull but the workers had complex motivations and boasted about their jobs and tried hard to place their sons on the assembly line.  Ford tried and failed to control work habits, then, after extensive sociological studies in which they DID interview the workers, management realized that the workers' were much more interested in controlling their home life than their work life. The Ford solution was [[welfare capitalism]], paying very high wages with added benefits, such as vacations and retirement, that reduced turnover amd appealed primarily to family men. Niebuhr should have asked his own parishioners.<ref>  Stephen Meyer, ''The Five Dollar Day: Labor Management and Social Control in the Ford Motor Company, 1908-1921,'' (1981); David Brody, ''Workers in Industrial America,'' (1980) ch 2 on welfare capitalism in 1920s; see also Richard M. Steers and Lyman W. Porter, eds. ''Motivation and Work Behavior'' (1979)</ref>

The problem is that Niebuhr never talked to the workers. He assumed they were automatons with crushed feelings. In fact, as many studies of assembly lines have shown, the work may have been dull but the workers had complex motivations and boasted about their jobs and tried hard to place their sons on the assembly line.  Ford tried and failed to control work habits, then, after extensive sociological studies in which they DID interview the workers, management realized that the workers' were much more interested in controlling their home life than their work life. The Ford solution was [[welfare capitalism]], paying very high wages with added benefits, such as vacations and retirement, that reduced turnover amd appealed primarily to family men. Niebuhr should have asked his own parishioners.<ref>  Stephen Meyer, ''The Five Dollar Day: Labor Management and Social Control in the Ford Motor Company, 1908-1921,'' (1981); David Brody, ''Workers in Industrial America,'' (1980) ch 2 on welfare capitalism in 1920s; see also Richard M. Steers and Lyman W. Porter, eds. ''Motivation and Work Behavior'' (1979)</ref>

and attacked the appeal of the [[Ku Klux Klan]] to Protestants. He collaborated with the nascent labor unions and abandoned the Social Gospel for a form of socialism in the late 1920s; he ran for Congress on the Socialist ticket in 1932, but in 1940 quit the party.  

He tried to undermine the appeal of the [[Ku Klux Klan]] to Protestants. He collaborated with the abor unions (weak at the time) and abandoned the Social Gospel for a form of socialism in the late 1920s; he ran for Congress on the Socialist ticket in 1932, but in 1940 quit the party.  

Starting in the 1920s Niebuhr built a national reputation among churchmen as a commentator and analyst of social problems for ''The Christian Century.''

Starting in the 1920s Niebuhr built a national reputation among churchmen as a commentator and analyst of social problems for ''The Christian Century.''

===Theology===

===Theology===

In 1939 he explained his theological odyssey:<ref>Niebuhr, "Ten Years That Shook My World", ''The Christian Century'' (April 26, 1939) in ''Sources of the American Mind: Volume II,'' ed. by Loren Baritz, (1960) pp 542-546 </ref>

In 1939 he explained his theological odyssey:<ref>Niebuhr, "Ten Years That Shook My World", ''The Christian Century'' (April 26, 1939) in ''Sources of the American Mind: Volume II,'' ed. by Loren Baritz, (1960) pp 542-546 </ref>