Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Why did Britain change during the industrial revolution of 1750-1900?

Industrial revolution refers to the great changes in form
of rapid development of industrialization that took place during the 1700's and early
1800's in the in several parts of the world.


Starting in
1700"s in Great Britain the Industrial Revolution started spreading to other parts of
Europe and to North America in the early 1800's, becoming widespread in western Europe
and the northeastern United States by mid
1800's.


Industrial Revolution changed the Western world
from a basically rural and agricultural based society to a predominantly urban and
industrial society. In addition to the changes in way people used technology, the
Industrial Revolution also caused great changes in people's way of life, and the social
systems. These changes can be attributed to several factors including Greater and
cheaper production of many goods including many new products which mad life easier of
people, the increasing importance of capital in production, need for centralized
location of production activities, and deskilling of
work.


Mass production using machines displaced some
workers, but others found new job opportunities working with machinery.  Both workers
and employers had to adjust to a new cold and impersonal relationship.  In addition,
most workers lived and worked under harsh conditions in the expanding industrial
cities.


The close relatiionship that often exised between
employers and employees under earlier system, became impossible in the large factories
of the which developed as a result of Industrial
Revolution.


The working day in factories than - about 12 to
14 hours a day for six days a week - was about same as that existed earlier. But because
of needs to keep the machines running for the maximum time employees were forced to work
faster and without rest


Jobs became more specialized, and
the work monotonous. As the production using old technologies became comparatively
uneconomical, artisans lost their traditional means of livelihood and were forced to
work in factories at very low wages. Women and children who also worked as unskilled
labourers earned even lower wages a small fraction of men's low wages.  Children as
young, as under 10 years of age, also worked in factories resulting in great damage to
their health.


Rapid urbanization was not accompanied by
development of proper housing. This resulted in development of overcrowded slums where
people lived in extremely unsanitary conditions causing many
diseases.


Workers were not permitted to vote and could do
little legally to improve their condition.  In Britain law forbade workers from joining
trade unions. But some workers did form trade unions and also went on strike or
rioted.


However the conditions of the working class
improved gradually during the 1800's.  Law forbidding trade unions were repealed and new
laws regulating factory conditions to ensure better working conditions were passed. A
Reform Bill passed in 1932, gave most middle-class men the right to vote.  Another Bill,
passed in 1867, granted voting rights to many city workers and owners of small
farms.


Although the working class people in the lowest
economic strata became poorer during the Industrial Revolution, the middle and upper
class people prospered. Many people made fortunes during the
period.


New products developed during Industrial Revolution
provided new comforts and conveniences to those who could afford
them.

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