What was the main goal of the Knights of Labor?

• A. To promote violent revolution
• B. To create a cooperative society in which workers owned the industries in which they worked
• C. To abolish all unions
• D. To form political parties to influence elections

Answer: (B)

The main idea behind the Knights of Labor is that they wanted to transform the economy by creating a cooperative system in which workers own and manage the industries where they work. They believed that broad organizing across trades and inclusive membership could lead to real change, not just higher wages, but a lasting shift to worker control. Their program included goals like the eight-hour day, equal pay for women, and the end of child labor, all within the vision of a cooperative commonwealth where production is owned by the workers themselves. This emphasis on worker ownership and cooperative formation is why this option is the best fit. They did not pursue violent revolution as the primary method, they were a union themselves rather than seeking to abolish unions, and while they supported political reform, forming political parties to influence elections was not their main aim.