The Industrial Revolution and British SocietyThe increased production allowed for a greater variety of products to choose from. It was also cheaper to buy the mass-produced goods. This mass production was done in factories. Britain was transformed from a rural to an urban civilization as factories drew formerly farmers together to one spot for the purpose of production. This is called urbanization. A person was no longer dependent on only their own resources as a farmer. Jobs were much simpler with specialization of labour. They had only to concentrate on one specific task as a worker in a factory. The threat of starvation was small, which as a farmer, had never been far away if a harvest failed. Also, bringing people together who had been traditionally isolated and disunited increased political awareness and activity among the masses. The new industrial classes began gradually to weaken the power of the landed aristocracy. Human labour became an important and valued resource, and this led to the work reforms made, among others. In the early days of the Industrial Revolution, labour abuse was prevalent. The abuses included child labour, unsafe conditions, overworking and underpayment. As people became aware of the terrible conditions that were created, in cities and in the factories, reformers began the slow process of remedying the problems. They had a variety of solutions which usually involved some government action or control. Laws were passed to improve living and working conditions. The fast-growing populations in the cities caused many problems. The government slowly introduced improvements such as gas lighting, sewers and water mains, and created parks. In factories, a provision of the Factory Act of 1833 limited children under age 13 to nine hours of work a day and required that they receive three hours of schooling daily. Factory inspectors were to enforce the act. This act pointed the way to further reform. The National Insurance Acts of 1911 and other laws provided old-age pensions, health insurance, unemployment insurance and compensation for injuries suffered on the job. The wages and conditions of many workers improved with the reforms and increasing power of the trade unions. More people were allowed to vote after the 1867 Reform Act, and in 1870, the Education Act provided schooling for all children. Instead of having to work from a young age, children of the poor were given the opportunity to learn to read and write. The availability of food, clothing and shelter, opportunities for education, access to health care, shortened workdays, fair wages and more political, economic and religious freedoms as a result of the Industrial Revolution all made living conditions in Britain better than it had been as a rural society. Yet it was in the Industrial Revolution that sprung up the dreadful conditions in which people had to live and work. The poor lived in overcrowded houses and dirty streets, and workhours were long and pay was cheap. These social conditions were improved by reforms produced as people were concerned about these problems and tried to find solutions to them. Factory reforms were made. Public health reforms were made. Under the Public Health Act of 1848, cities were to build sewers, keep streets cleaned, install lighting and see that houses were built with drains and connected to water supplies. The great changes that happened as part of the Industrial Revolution had many positive effects on the lives of the British people. They received many opportunities and freedoms that they previously could not have, and Britain was better off for these changes. |
