Henry Ford Life & Society

Henry Ford, not a popular man in Society

Throughout Henry Ford 's life, Henry Ford had many conflicts in society. Henry Ford had few cultural or intellectual interests and Henry Ford rarely read a book. But a year after the World War ended, Henry Ford decided to publish a magazine called the Dearborn Independent, which became notorious for its attacks on the Jewish community.

When Henry Ford was sued for a million dollars by a Chicago attorney, Henry Ford backed down and claimed he'd been too busy to read what was published in the magazine and the anti-Semitism was all the fault of his subordinates. Henry Ford agreed to abolish the magazine.

Henry Ford 's activities and his role in society

Later on in Henry Ford 's life, his activities expressed a growing conflict within Henry Ford about his role in society. Henry Ford had begun to worry about the consequences of his inventions, just as many other inventors had.

• The Wright Brothers had worried about the use of their airplanes as instruments of destruction.
• Einstein had worried about the massive weapons that had been created from his scientific discoveries.
• Now Henry Ford began to worry about the enormous effects of the automobile.

Henry Ford and the countryside

Henry Ford 's work had played a major part in moving America from a clean, quiet rural society to a congested and noisy urban society. Even though Henry Ford had never taken to farming, Henry Ford always loved the country and nature, and he began to feel nostalgic for the old days, days he felt he'd personally helped destroy.

Henry Ford began to spend more and more time in the country and more money and energy in preserving the relics of America's past way of life. The public and press became increasingly confused about Henry Ford the man, what he was and what he stood for. A close friend, when asked about Henry Ford's contradictory behavior, replied: "He's a genius. There's no explaining genius."

Henry Ford against the Union

In 1941 Henry Ford again made negative headlines when he resisted union organizing at his Ford Motor Company plant. Henry Ford fought attempts by the UAW - the United Automobile Workers - to organize his employees. Henry Ford hired company police and wasn't against using violence against those who tried to recruit his workers. Photos of his guards beating up a union man were plastered across every paper in the country. Even when the UAW successfully organized his workers, Henry Ford considered shutting down the Ford Motor Company plant rather than sign a union contract. Eventually Henry Ford had no choice but to relent.