How Did The Industrial Revolution Change The World?

Many would argue that the Industrial Revolution changed the world for the better due to the new technologies and inventions that transformed the way people lived and worked in Britain during the 19th century. Although these new inventions made some people’s lives easier, it is evident that the working class did not benefit from this period of development but endured an era of hardship and difficulties. The lower class became unwell due to their unhygenic and poor living standards. As a result of the new machinary and factories, child labourers endured abusive treatment and women were forced to work receiving low income aswell as nuture their families. These factors contribute to the destitution this era brought upon for the lower class.
Due
to advancements wanting to be so eagerly accomplished, the lower class were unexpectedly forced into unhygienic, crammed houses located in the urban cities. The Industrial Revolution saw the start of what were known as back-to-back terrace housing (History Learning Site, 2014). Between the blocks were narrow, unpaved streets littered with rubbish and often awash of sewage (Cootes and Snellgrove, 1933). John Aikin, a doctor from Manchester (1795) wrote about this, “The horror of… lodging houses cannot easily be described; a logger fresh from the country often lies down in a bed filled with infection from its last tenant, or from which the corpse from a victim to fever has only been removed a few hours before.” Outbreaks of cholera, typhoid, typhus and tuberculosis were common. “In 1841, the average life expectancy in England's rural areas was 45 years. In London, it dropped to 37 years” (Troolin, 2014). During the Industrial Revolution the appalling living conditions of the lower class brought upon an era of hardship and difficulties.
As a result of technological advancements that brought upon new machinery, the need for child labour increased. Children could work in textile factories and cotton mills, alongside other dangerous jobs. Children who worked in these jobs were often treated cruelly, such as not being provided enough food or beaten for minor infractions of workplace rules (Learning through history, 2008). Counsell and Steer (1993) stated that factory owners valued child labour because children were paid less and were often more skilful than their parents; however, these children did not benefit from treacherous jobs, as they were often paid between a third and sixth of the adult wage. Being imprisoned in factories for over twelve hours per day caused widespread exhaustion, decreasing their immunity against sickness. The Parliamentry Committee asked “did this excessive labour occasion much cruelty also?” (1832). Coulson (1832) responded with “Yes, with being so very much fatigue the strap was very frequently used.” An interview with Samuel Coulson, father of two mill girls and the image of child “hurriers” working in mines from an official report of the Parliamentry Committee gives evidence of the long hours and harsh punishments his daughters among numerous other children had to endure.
During the Industrial Revolution women were forced to work for low wages, which effected their ability to nurture their family.
Women worked in textile mills, as servants and as needleworkers; however, their jobs were not gratifying. Although women were paid less than men, “they tended to do what they were told, and did not complain about the extensive hours and bad working conditions” (Bellamy and Morse, 1996). Due to their husband’s incapability to receive a sustainable income to provide for their families, women were forced to work. Not only did they have to care for their children, cook and clean they now had to work resulting in fatigue. “Amongst other things I saw a cotton mill – a sight that froze my blood. The place was full of women, young, all of them, some large with child, and obliged to stand twelve hours each day.” John Roebuck, a member of parliament, described a visit to a cotton mill in letter to his wife (1838). This quote suggests that the society was unaware of the punitive working conditions that women had to tolerate unless they visited themselves. During the industrial Revolution women’s lives became more of a challenge due to the horrid working conditions and low wages effecting the care they could provide for their
families.
Although the Industrial Revolution has helped shape modern society, it destroyed the lives of the lower class. Poor and unsanitary living conditions, the increase of child labour and the tiresome working conditons of women, highlight the hardships and suffering of the lower class. For these reasons it is evident that the lower class did not benefit from this period of development therefore the Industrial Revolution did not change the world for the better.