Before the 1760’s we were doing everything slowly and by hand, but an innovative movement changed the way we do things forever, that change was the Industrial Revolution.  It was the transition into a new manufacturing process.  During this transition we went from hand production methods, to machines, new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes.  This led to improvements in water power, increased use of steam power and the change from wood and other biofuels to coal.  Throughout the last few weeks I have been studying the effects of this Revolution on the people and society of England.  I will be showing you the positives, negatives and how/where we might improve upon these sudden changes.

 

The Industrial Revolution made huge improvements in production, which changed womens’ lives dramatically.  Women started out in their homes, creating cloths, normally in groups of about five.  Then contraptions were created that vastly improved production speed, but were too big to fit into homes, creating the need for factories.  This then allowed for much more cloth and merchandise.  Women were now able to supply a second wage for their families, though it was never very much and  the wages always went to the husband.  The working conditions were dangerous, as their hair and clothes would frequently get caught in the machinery.  Normally the merchants who sold the cloth were the ones to make the money and in doing so, they were lowering the wages and costs to have even bigger profit margins.  The only way to change this is to increase wages and working conditions, which will lower the profit margin and helps to improve the differences between the classes.  

 

As urbanization of towns and cities grew, the small farm towns were becoming industrial hubs, with growing communities, the classes began to separate drastically.  As factories began to grow, so did the market, allowing more profit for the owners, but not the workers.  As the market grew, countless farmers began to come to work in the factory.  This then created a lack of housing and this forced the housing to be put up quickly.  As a result, often 20 families shared one toilet and water pump.  These people who as farmers, could have lived up to 38 years, were now in factories, which shortened their lifespan to only 17 years.  Not only where they living in small areas, sharing with other families, they were down wind from the factories blowing all the pollutants towards their houses.  Whereas the upper class and owners of the factories were living up wind.  This could have simply been solved by better access to adequate housing.  

 

As merchants began to look for cheaper labor, they started using children.  They were able to pay them 10% of an adult male’s labor.  This greatly increased the profit margins for the merchants.  The working conditions were horrendous.  They were beaten severely.  Many had no education and those that had access to education were often subjected to substandard teaching.  Often the schools available to the poor were run by charities and the teachers were adults with no teaching skills, but were actually uneducated themselves.  Allowing all children access to a proper education is important to a thriving economy.

 

The Industrial Revolution was a huge leap forward, but at the same time a step backwards for some members of society.  It was great for manufacturing purposes and having enough to supply the need.  It was perfect for the upper classes and the merchants, but for those working in the factory it was considerably more dangerous, lower wages made it difficult to support families and housing was cramped.  For lower class children it often meant giving up an education and a childhood to start work for very little pay and a much shorter lifespan.  Overall the Revolution could have been greatly improved for both classes with higher wages and better working conditions.  For the cloth market it was a huge step forward, but for people and their well being it was a huge step back.  Was it worth it so we can be where we are now?