Summary: Did Industrial Revolution Lead To A Sexual Revolution?

Did the Industrial Revolution Lead to a Sexual Revolution?
The industrial revolution happened during late 1700’s, as well as in early 1800’s. During industrial revolution big change happened within industrial technique and product demand. Historian agree that 1750 to 1850 the illegitimacy significantly increase in all regions of Europe. This is also correlates with the period of industrial revolution. Did the capitalistic labor force influence young women to be more open to sex? Is industrial revolution caused a change in the habits “attitude” of young unmarried women a sexual revolution? In the Issue “Did the Industrial Revolution Lead to a Sexual Revolution?” presents two sides of debate that discusses the reason why, and how industrialism
Also, Shorter insists that industrialization opened a wide scope of opportunities outside the home causing increase for young women independence. On the other side of the debate, are historians Louise A. Tilly, Joan W. Scott and Miriam Cohen, who argue it was not that women sought independence from their traditional settings rather that the age of industrial revolution caused women to work out of need. During that time women has inner desire of making end meet by supporting their husbands by taking advantage of new opportunities. Therefore, the rise of women leaving home was due to breakdown of tradition that include lack of support of family, community, and the church. Young women had to work hard long hours, low wages, unstable jobs, and were caught in poverty cycle (Louise A. Tilly, Joan W. Scott and Miriam Cohen
Tilly, Joan W. Scott and Miriam Cohen, who are disagree with Shorter’s points, and they are stating that his claims have no supportive evidence. They argue that no evidence found to support the point Shorter made about women that they were powerless in traditional families. Instead, there are some evidence that showed the women had power within a family because importance of their roles. They point out that vast majority women did not work in the factories, but in customary women’s jobs. Women did not work because of rebalance or to seek for independence, but to add to the family finances. Woman who worked they add only small amount to the family finances they did not make much money. Tilly, Cohen, and Scott proving different point as to why women sought work. Unlikely Shorter, the explanation they offer why women were employed was because the problem generated from industrialization. Industrialization gave new opportunities for women, it also contribute for young girls were sent out to the cities for work. Even though, young women were sent far from home their independence was very limited. Some countries had nuns, who were placed watching and restraining young women behavior and social lives. Women did not make much money and very poor, female got paid significantly less than male did, and female work was seasonal and irregular. Authors point out that young women were deficient income with unstable jobs