How is there no mention of the strength of organized labor during that period in the article or any of these comments? That was a big part of what motivated Ford to appease the workers when rolling out his new flexible production system. It wasn't his benevolence.

Ford, the company, along with GM gave up that system half a century later for a more rigid system that included more outsourcing but had the upside of being impermeable to strikes. Toyota on the other hand continued the flexible system along with the higher cost of labor and royally outsmarted the American companies in the 70s.

The role of organized labor shouldn't be ignored. And neither should the competitve advantage of working with well-skilled and well-contented labor.