The Many Effects of the Industrial Revolution
- Many towns industrialized as hopeful entrepreneurs bought new machinery and built factories. These towns grew into bustling cities filled with factory workers, pollution, and smog
- Because cities were springing up overnight, proper housing and sanitation were often neglected. This caused many of these cities to be filled with pollution, waste, filth, and homeless laborers.
- Up until the revolution, most workers were self-employed and were either famers or practiced a trade in their own home. Once factories became the new normal with the use of expensive machinery, work shifted from the countryside to the cities and many workers migrated to urban areas to find any work they could.
- The middle class, or the "bourgeoisie" according to Marx, became prominent following the Industrial Revolution as wealthy factory owners and merchants.
- The "laissez faire" economy idea, along with other capitalist ideas, allowed for innovation and competition to occur, which led to great improvements in technology and still occurs in our modern society with various companies competing against each other, all striving to be the best.
- Child labor increased greatly as families needed as much income as possible and employers were willing to hire them for cheap labor.
- Working conditions were also horrible as the factory owners controlled more employees and became wealthier. Neglectful owners would pay very little because of the many laborers in search of work, and the conditions consisted of long hours, few break, dirty work spaces, unsanitary conditions, and often dangerous environments as well. In 1832, Michael Sadler investigated working conditions in the textile industry and took the case to court. When interviewing one employee, he asked the following:
- "Will you state the hours of labour at the period when you first went to the factory, in ordinary times? — From 6 in the morning to 8 at night.
Fourteen hours? — Yes.
With what intervals for refreshment and rest? — An hour at noon.
When trade was brisk what were your hours? — From 5 in the morning to 9 in the evening.
Sixteen hours? — Yes." - Line of Questioning, Michael Sadler and Matthew Crabtree
Fourteen hours? — Yes.
With what intervals for refreshment and rest? — An hour at noon.
When trade was brisk what were your hours? — From 5 in the morning to 9 in the evening.
Sixteen hours? — Yes." - Line of Questioning, Michael Sadler and Matthew Crabtree