SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

PEOPLE MOVE TO CITIES Entrepreneurs

– Became wealthy as a result of the Industrial Revolution

Workers– Exposed to poverty and horrible living

conditions– Suffered dangerous working

conditions– Had unsafe and unsanitary working

conditions

Urbanization– Movement of people to the cities– Changes in farming, growing population and an

increasing demand for workers led people to move from farms to cities

NEW SOCIAL CLASSES EMERGE

Industrial Revolution created a new middle class and a new working class

Middle Class owned and operated new machines, factories, mines and railroads and they enjoyed a more comfortable life than the working class

Working Class became workers in the factories and mines and lived in uncomfortable environments

“Upstairs”/“Downstairs” Life

“Upstairs”/“Downstairs” Life

THE INDUSTRIAL MIDDLE CLASS

Came from a variety of

backgrounds (merchants,

inventors, rags to riches)

Lived in well furnished and

spacious homes

Wore fancy clothes, worked hard to get

ahead and had little sympathy for the

poor

Women focused on raising the children

INDUSTRIAL WORKING CLASS Lived in foul smelling slums They were packed in tiny

rooms in tenements (multistory buildings divided into apartments)

There was no running water, sewage or sanitation system so waste and garbage rotted in the street

Sewage was dumped into the river so there was a horrible smell and the water became contaminated (unclean) leading to the spread of diseases such as cholera

WORKERS STAGE PROTESTS Workers organized groups called labor

unions, although they were illegal many met

in secret

They wished to initiate reforms (changes)

such as increase in pay however they had no

political power and often times their

frustration turned into violence

1811-1813 groups of textile workers

known as Luddites smashed the machines

that were taking over their jobs and they

burned factories

WORKERS AND RELIGION Methodism

– Workers found comfort with this

religion

– Stressed the need for a personal

sense of faith and encouraged

followers to improve themselves

by adopting sober and moral ways

– Had songs and hymns that promised

forgiveness and a better life to come

– Helped to channel workers anger away from

revolution and towards reform

URBAN LIVING CONDITIONS

SOCIALISM General socialist argument

– Capitalism made a few people very rich but kept most people poor and miserable

– Capitalism was unjust system Early socialist schemes

– “Utopian” communities (La Reunion)– Nationalization of industry– Violent revolutions

• Replace unbridled competition with cooperation

• Abolition of private property Flaws

– Misunderstood human nature– Wanted to “turn back clock” to days

before industrial revolution

Charles Fourier

Robert Owen

SCIENTIFIC SOCIALISM (MARXISM)

Published Communist Manifesto in 1848 Corrected flaws in early socialism and

proved it was workable and inevitable

Karl MarxFrederick Engels

FUNDAMENTALS OF MARXISM I Human history characterized by one

class exploiting another– Class—a social group bound together

by common economic activity and interests

Ancient World – Slaveowners exploit slaves

Feudal Age– Nobles exploit commoners

Capitalist (modern) Age– Bourgeoisie exploits proletariat

Young Coal MinersYoung Coal Miners

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Child Labor in the Mines

Child Labor in the Mines

Child Child “hurriers”“hurriers”

Factory Wages in Lancashire, 1830

Factory Wages in Lancashire, 1830

Age of Worker Male Wages Female Wages

under 11 2s 3d. 2s. 4d.

11 - 16 4s. 1d. 4s. 3d.

17 - 21 10s. 2d. 7s. 3d.

22 - 26 17s. 2d. 8s. 5d.

27 - 31 20s. 4d. 8s. 7d.

32 - 36 22s. 8d. 8s. 9d.

37 - 41 21s. 7d. 9s. 8d.

42 - 46 20s. 3d. 9s. 3d.

47 - 51 16s. 7d. 8s. 10d.

52 - 56 16s. 4d. 8s. 4d.

57 - 61 13s. 6d. 6s. 4d.

Thomas MalthusThomas Malthus

Population growth willPopulation growth willoutpace the food outpace the food supply.supply.

War, disease, or famineWar, disease, or faminecould control could control population.population.

The poor should have The poor should have less children.less children.

Food supply will then Food supply will then keep up with keep up with population.population.

David RicardoDavid Ricardo

““Iron Law of Wages.”Iron Law of Wages.”

When wages are high,When wages are high,workers have moreworkers have morechildren.children.

More children create aMore children create alarge labor surplus thatlarge labor surplus thatdepresses wages.depresses wages.

The Utilitarians:Jeremy Bentham & John

Stuart Mill

The Utilitarians:Jeremy Bentham & John

Stuart Mill The goal of society is The goal of society is the greatest good for the greatest good for the greatest number.the greatest number.

There is a role to play for government There is a role to play for government intervention to provide some social safetyintervention to provide some social safetynet.net.