Final answer:
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and medieval merchant and craft guilds have differences in their methods and agendas. The AFT represents teachers and focuses on advocating for the rights and interests of its members, while guilds protect the interests of artisans and merchants in regulating trades and ensuring quality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and medieval merchant and craft guilds have some differences in terms of their methods and agendas.
Firstly, the AFT is a trade union that represents teachers and other education professionals in the United States. It focuses on advocating for the rights and interests of its members, such as better working conditions, higher pay, and job security. On the other hand, medieval merchant and craft guilds were organizations in the Middle Ages that protected the interests of artisans and merchants. They regulated the quality of goods, set prices, and controlled access to their trades. The primary goal of the guilds was to protect the interests of their members and ensure the quality and reputation of their crafts.
Secondly, the AFT operates in a modern industrialized society, where labor rights and working conditions are regulated by laws and regulations. In contrast, medieval merchant and craft guilds existed in a feudal society, where labor relations were less formalized and governed by hierarchical structures.
Lastly, the AFT focuses on collective bargaining and negotiation with employers to achieve its goals, while guilds in the Middle Ages often relied on more direct methods, such as strikes or boycotts, to exert pressure on those who did not comply with their rules.