In "Modern Times", Charles Chaplin used his unique techniques of expression in pantomime to successfully criticise certain stage of capitalism within the background of the Great Depression in the 1930s. With regards to the nature of work manifested in Chaplin's this masterpiece, the story has partially changed since the film was made. Budd argues that there are three fundamental objectives in the employment relationship, namely efficiency, equity and voice; the organization's external and internal environment, along with the nature of human decision making and behaviour are always playing critical roles in affecting the employment outcomes (2004, p.47). This short assignment will focus on illustrating the part of environmental changes with regards to work that related to this film .
Though certain articles of the employment laws have been blamed to exert negative influences on efficiency, the development of legislation has significantly led the world of work to a different stage than it was in the 1930s (Budd, 2004, p.50). For instance, legal improvements in areas such as workplace health and safety, job security, and employment standards with aims to control the behaviour of employers, have effectively enhanced the need of balance in power between employers and employees. To illustrate, the change of legal environment has dramatically increased the bargaining power of employees and improves their working conditions, then prevents the occurrence of scenes such as Chaplin was caught by gears in his factory without being compensated at all.
Moreover, along with the field of legislation, the political environment for work has moved to a different step as well. There are few denies that politics plays an important role in legislative process. In the film, Chaplin was arrested for being wrongly identified as a strike leader because at that time, workers have no right to strike. In addition, no-strike clauses were listed in contracts during the period of World War II in order to guarantee the military production for political reasons (Budd, 2004, p.57). Clearly, the situation is different nowadays. The more democratic political environment amplifies the voice of employees in the process of chasing a more balanced power distribution