The Industrial Revolution: Life in the Factory System

What were some of the reactions?

Cottage workers riots—Luddites Unions formed to improve work conditions Strikes or work stoppages would occur Initially Parliament banned unions But eventually these complaints and difficulties lead to reform of the system

What were the effects of industrialization/ changing to the factory system?

Created a new social class Factory workers Known as the proletariat=working class Poor working conditions Long hours (14-16 hrs/day, 6 days a week) Low wages (women and children earned less) Child labor (majority of workers always adult men) Unsafe environment (lack of ventilation, poor sanitation, dangerous machinery) No benefits (medical insurance, unemployment compensation, retirement pensions)

What were the advantages? (Cottage System)

Decided your own schedule Worked around holidays, illnesses, and such without outside input Able to do seasonal work—can work more in farm when the seasons allowed more in cottage business during winter months

What did industrialization/factory system do to the way people lived?

Development of the idea of "unemployment" Before tools were unemployed, not people Over population of cities 1800—22 European cities over 100,000 1850—47 European cities over 100,000 Living conditions for city dwellers awful Housing—in Lille, 1/3 lived in cellars/in Stockholm several thousand lived in holes in ground/one London neighborhood reported 461 living in 12 houses "London fog" Crime/Prostitution everywhere Most threw sewage into the street By mid-19th century ratio of people to flush toilets was 200:1 Disease was rampant Cholera/Tuberculosis were everywhere Some estimate that 50% of all deaths in factory cities in 19th century due to these diseases Single wave of cholera in 1832 killed 32,000 in London Wages were low—What was the result? In textiles pre-1850, 1/2 were women and children Work conditions dismal 12-14 hour workdays

How did factory system change the way work was done?

Division of labor —each worker did one specific job over and over Interchangeable parts —instead of having parts for machines and goods that were tailor made, each good be replaced by another pre-made part Assembly line -began having the product move in front of the worker rather than having worker move—much more efficient

How did the cottage system work?

Entire family involved in system—children worked hard prior to the factory system Equipment owned by family—later sometimes by outside employer Paid by the piece—if you didn't get it done, or didn't get it done right, you didn't get paid

How were goods made prior to the Industrial Revolution?

Good chance they weren't made—Industrial Revolution made a lot more things more available To the extent they were made, they were made by hand—sometimes by tradesmen Others made in cottage industries—pre-factory systems

What were the disadvantages of cottage industry?

If there was damage to equipment or other items due to theft, fire, flood, or other accident family could be ruined No insurance so if there was a health problem, family in trouble Took a long time to learn—long investment time to get all the steps of production learned No pay if no production or if pieces weren't done right Remember, factory system takes it on the chin, but the cottage system was no beauty either—kids still worked

However there was a safety net—the Poor Law

Required locality to take care of the destitute Some places created workhouses requiring people to live and work there to get their food Run at the local level, each town responsible for administering Strengths: Run at local level People's needs known by neighbors Weaknesses: Run at local level People's needs known by neighbors

What were the strengths and weaknesses of these new developments?

Strengths: Goods made much more quickly and efficiently Goods made more cheaply—economies of scale (explain Hansen) More goods in price range of more people Don't need skilled workers Weaknesses: Don't need skilled workers—lower wages Life becomes more mundane if do same thing repeatedly Health of workers could be an issue

Why did employers prefer hiring women and children?

Took direction better and with less arguing Could pay them less Especially at the beginning, the entire family would come to work, insuring worker satisfaction and natural managers Some of machines needed smaller hands with greater dexterity to repair—kids and women were perfect for this

Much like factory system divided work in the factory, society divided its work too under factory system Three Levels of Participation in System

Wealthy to invest in and own factories Mid-level employees to run factories and supervise the day-to-day operations Low-level employees to operate the machines

What reforms occurred?

Writers drew attention to the problems Dickens' novels Bleak House and Oliver Twist Publicized poor conditions of industrial revolution Steps for reform Factory Act of 1819 Children 9-12 limited to 9hr days; 13-18 to 12 hours 1825 unions allowed to discuss wages and hours Ten Hour Act of 1847 10 hr work day for women and children under 18 in textile mills 10 hours became normal workday for everyone 1870 Strikes Legalized Employers began to recognize collective bargaining with unions to develop contracts