Industrialization in South Africa Diamond Mines
The Industrial Revolution
“The Industrial Revolution has tended to produce everywhere great urban masses that seem to be increasingly careless of ethical standards” (Babbitt). In Great Britain during the 18th century, industrialization began to take over the nation. This industrial revolution brought new technology which increased the production of goods and lowered the overall cost of products. Companies raced to earn profits which lead to horrible working and living conditions for the workers. The Industrial Revolution has already affected Great Britain, and is now concentrated in developing countries such as South Africa. Some of the world’s largest industrial diamond deposits are in South Africa, but even with this great natural resource, the nation still struggles with the risks of industrialization. Similar to Great Britain, the industrial lifestyle in South Africa’s diamond mines has caused substandard living conditions and working conditions that the employees of these companies are forced to face in order to survive. I was interested in this particular article because I personally wanted to learn something new about a fairly common product in the United States. The source I chose is from a reliable association, NBC, which is widely known and used. The author has provided their name, Petra Cahill, who is the senior news editor at MSNBC. There are no errors in the grammar or spelling, and the facts he gives are free from vague generalizations, making it completely reliable. The diamond industry in South Africa has increased the number of job opportunities, but lowered the living conditions that correspond with these jobs. People living in mining towns, like the town in Marikana, South Africa, lack basic amenities like electricity and running water. The community “lives by candlelight between towering electricity pylons generating power for the huge mining industry” (Cahill). The people are unable to access basic necessities, like electricity, while the
“The Industrial Revolution has tended to produce everywhere great urban masses that seem to be increasingly careless of ethical standards” (Babbitt). In Great Britain during the 18th century, industrialization began to take over the nation. This industrial revolution brought new technology which increased the production of goods and lowered the overall cost of products. Companies raced to earn profits which lead to horrible working and living conditions for the workers. The Industrial Revolution has already affected Great Britain, and is now concentrated in developing countries such as South Africa. Some of the world’s largest industrial diamond deposits are in South Africa, but even with this great natural resource, the nation still struggles with the risks of industrialization. Similar to Great Britain, the industrial lifestyle in South Africa’s diamond mines has caused substandard living conditions and working conditions that the employees of these companies are forced to face in order to survive. I was interested in this particular article because I personally wanted to learn something new about a fairly common product in the United States. The source I chose is from a reliable association, NBC, which is widely known and used. The author has provided their name, Petra Cahill, who is the senior news editor at MSNBC. There are no errors in the grammar or spelling, and the facts he gives are free from vague generalizations, making it completely reliable. The diamond industry in South Africa has increased the number of job opportunities, but lowered the living conditions that correspond with these jobs. People living in mining towns, like the town in Marikana, South Africa, lack basic amenities like electricity and running water. The community “lives by candlelight between towering electricity pylons generating power for the huge mining industry” (Cahill). The people are unable to access basic necessities, like electricity, while the
Citations: Babbitt, Irving. On Literature, Culture, & Religion. New Jersey: Transaction, 2005. Print. Cahill, Petra. "A Diamond 's Journey: Grim Reality Tarnishes Glitter." MSNBC News. NBC News, 26 June 2009. Web. 24 Mar. 2013.