Industrial Revolution Test

The Communist Manifesto

23 page pamphlet written by Karl Marx and Frederich Engels that outlined their ideas of communism. Argued that human societies have always been divided into warring classes, which is the middle class "haves" or the workers/proletariat "have nots". While the wealthy controlled the means of producing goods, the poor preformed strenuous labor under horrible conditions, which resulted in conflict. The Industrial Revolution enriched the wealthy and impoverished the poor.

Laissez Faire

A "hands off' approach to the economy in the early 1800s that was embraced by middle-class business leaders. Allows owners of industry and business to set working conditions without interference and favors a free government. Stemmed from French economic philosophers of the Enlightenment. Criticized the idea that nations grow wealth through tariffs and believed free trade would make the economy prosper.

Why were Capitalism and Socialism imperfect opposites?

Capitalism and Socialism are imperfect opposite because Capitalism was natural and Socialism was the result of human choice. The defenders of Capitalism believe that if humans were left to their own devices, humans would build economic relationships that resembled capitalism. Socialism is less of the result of human nature and freedom and more of human choice and planning.

Karl Marx

A German journalist who created a radical type of socialism called Marxism and also created communism, which he called the purest phase of socialism. He and Frederich Engels, a German whose father owned a textile mill in Manchester, co-wrote "The Communist Manifesto". He condemned the ideas of Utopians in the 1840s. Also distrusted religion and saw it as the "Opium of Masses". Marx believed that capitalism would destroy itself and eventually a classless society would develop and government or the state would fall. Marx created a new theory called "scientific socialism" that was based on a scientific study of history. These ideas evolved into the common practice known today as communism.

Factory

A building or group of buildings where goods are manufactured or assembled with the help of machines. Machines became too expensive and large to operate in homes, so manufacturers built long sheds to house machines instead. Initially located by rapidly moving streams that provided water to run machines. Later, machines were powered by steam engines. Conditions in the factories were dismal. Workers worked long hours, had virtually no breaks, and worked in dangerous conditions. Many people died or were seriously injured due to the accidents cause by lack of sleep. Workers were beaten if they fell asleep on the job.

Corporation

A business owned by stockholders who share its profits but are not personally reponsible for its debts. Large businesses become corporations raise money to buy items like industrial equipment. Corporations sought to gain monopolies as a result of their newfound money source. Businesses also earned money by lowering their prices in goods due to the increase in production and new money source. However, workers still earned low wages for long hours while stockholders earned large profits and corporate leaders make fortunes.

Lucy Larcom

A doffer in a cotton mill in Lowell, Massachusetts. Enjoyed working in the mills and made an education for herself. When she completed her time at the mills, she moved to Illinois in the 1840s to teach. eventually moved back to Boston, worked at the Boston Literary Magazine, and founded Wheaton College. Wrote and published songs, books, and poems on her experience, including "A New England Girlhood".

Utopians

A perfect living place. More active approach to the ideas of utilitarianism. One example of this is British factory owner Robert Owen. Owen, shocked by the misery and poverty of the working class, tried to improve the working conditions of his employees. Near his cotton mill in New Lanark, Scotland he built houses that he rented at low wages. He prohibited children under 10 to work in mills and provided free schooling. In 1824 he traveled to the US and founded a cooperative community called New Harmony in Indiana, in 1825. Intended this community to be a utopia. Although it only lasted 3 years, it inspired the founding of other communities.

Entrepreneur

A person who organizes, manages, and takes on the risks of a business. Entrepreneurs sought to raise money for their large businesses, which they did by selling shares of stocks.

Urbanization

A population shift from rural to urban areas. Because of the agricultural revolution, less people were needed to work on farms. Many farmers were laid off or put out of business, so they moved to the cities to find jobs. This lead to a rapid increase in the city populations and started the industrial revolution, as it provided factories with workers.

Iron law of Wages

A proposed law of economics that asserts that real wages always tend, in the long run, toward the minimum wage necessary to sustain the life of the worker. This theory was invented by Ferdinand Lassalle in the mid-1900s. David Ricardo, a wealthy stockbroker, was one of the most influential supporters of this idea. He thought that creating minimum wage laws and better working conditions would upset the free market system, lower profits, and undermine the production of wealth in society.

Strike

A refusal to work organized by a body of employees as a form of protest. Workers in the factories were angered by the conditions in the factories and tried to protest to bargain for better conditions. Protests were usually met with harsh repression and many were injured and some even died. Workers were banned form forming unions or refusing to come to work.

Socialism

A system of government in which the factors of production are owned by the public and operate for the welfare of all. This idea was created by Karl Marx, who eventually evolved this idea into communism. French reformers such as Charles Fourier, Saint-Simon, and others believed that socialism would offset the negative effects of industrialization. Wanted government control over economy, wanted public ownership, and believed socialism would end poverty and promote equality.

David Ricardo

A wealthy stockbroker who wrote "The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation" in 1817. Laissez Faire thinker who supported capitalism and had ideas similar to Adam Smith and Thomas Malthus. Believed that a permanent underclass would always be poor but that wages would be forced down as the population increased. Believed that in a market system, if there many workers and resources, then labor and resources are cheap. If there are few workers and scarce resources, they are expensive. Also composed the Iron Law of Wages.

What sort of predictions were made by thinkers like Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, David Ricardo, and Karl Marx? How accurate were their predictions? Explain any flaws in their predictions.

Adam Smith, one of the main thinkers of Laissez faire, argued that if individuals freely followed their own self interest, the world would be orderly and progressive. Social harmony would result without any government direction and believed that economic liberty guaranteed economic progress. His arguments were based on the three natural laws of economics, which were the law of self interest, the law of competition, and the law of supply and demand. As many countries live in capitalism today and are thriving, it is safe to say that most of Adam Smith's predictions were accurate. Thomas Malthus created the idea of the dismal sciences, that pessimistic idea that war and famine were the only way to prevent the population from outgrowing the food supply. Malthus' predictions seemed to be coming true in the 1840s, but have slowly proven to be false, as food production has greatly skyrocketed and been able to feed the population so far. David Ricardo believed that permanent underclass would always be poor. He also believed that creating minimum wage laws and better working conditions would upset the free market system, lower profits, and undermine the production of wealth in society. This theory proved to be false, as when reforms did occur, he free market system, profits, and wealth of society stayed the same and were not affected by better working conditions. Ricardo also believed that if there were plenty of workers and resources, the labor would be cheap. If there were few workers and resources were scare, then they would be expensive. This prediction came true, as shown through the Industrial Revolution that in Britain, where there was plenty of workers and resources, goods were cheaper and although wages were naturally high they did not skyrocket. Karl Marx believed that capitalism would destroy itself and eventually a classless society would develop and government or the state would fall. He also believed that the workers would get tired of their poor conditions and overthrow the middle class, creating the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. None of these predictions came true, as most of the countries in the world leave peacefully in Capitalism and, due to reforms, the workers did not other throw their superiors because they got the demands they wanted and were living better lives.

Industrial Capitalism

An Economic system that relies on investment in machines and technology that are used to increase production of marketable goods. This idea first came around in the 17th century when merchants from the Netherlands and Britain expanded on the idea of mercantile capitalism to create joint stock companies. These companies financed bigger trade missions and spread the risk of international trade. Instead of owning one boat that if it sunk you would loose all your money, you owned one boat out of ten in a fleet so you were less likely to lose your ship and all of your profits.

Capitalism

An economic system by which the factors of production are privately owned and money is invested into business ventures to make a profit. Similar to the ideas of Laissez Faire and helped bring about the ideas of the Industrial Revolution. British economists Thomas Malthus, David Ricardo, and University professor Adam Smith all supported Capitalism and believed that natural laws governed economic life.

Communism

An economic system proposed by Karl Marx that was a form of complete socialism in which the means of production-all lands, mines, factories, railroads, and businesses-would be owned by the people. Formed from the ideas of socialism, but was more extreme. Marx believed that communism was the only way to promote equality, abolish poverty, and create a stable economy and government. Private property would cease to exist and all goods and services would be shared equally. Marx wrote "The Communist Manifesto" in 1848 as a guide to the proper way of living.

Industrial Revolution

An increase in production brought about by the use of machines and characterized by the use of new energy sources. Started because of the agricultural revolution that occurred. This revolution boosted product output and paved the way for nonagricultural related machines. This increase in machinery and the enclosure system led to a lack of need of workers so all of the workers moved into cities to find jobs, which led them to become factory workers. The revolution began in the textile industry with inventions like the Spinning Jenny and the water frame, and spread from there.

Union

An organized association of workers formed to protect and further their rights and interests. Workers were originally banned from forming unions, as factory owners thought that rights would slow production. However, workers eventually did form unions and bargained for their rights. Unions would send the most skilled workers in to bargain with their employers, as they were more likely not to fire skilled people.

Manchester

British market town that exploded into the center of the textile industry. Faced a population explosion and visitors described a "cloud of coal vapor" that polluted the air, the pounding noise of steam engines, and the filthy smell of the river. A gulf divided the Urban population. The wealthy and middle class lived in pleasant neighborhoods while the poor struggled to survive in slums. Had no running water, sewage system, or electricity. Cholera and other diseases spread rapidly.

William Wilberforce

British reformer who, during the first half of the 19th century, pushed bills through Parliament that first ended slavery in Britain's Caribbean colonies, then abolished slave trade all together in 1833. A highly religious man initially got Parliament to end slave trade in the West Indies in 1807, but he finally abolished it in 1833.He retired from Parliament in 1824, but continued to free slaves.

Luddites

British weavers and skilled artisans who objected to the use machines and factories, as they were costing them their jobs. Smashed machines, burned factories, and rioted against the revolution. Named after the mythical Figure, Ned Ludd, who supposedly destroyed machines in the 1780s. Protests met harsh repressions, as soldiers would charge into crowds and kill or injure them. Workers were forbidden to organize in groups to bargain for better pay and working conditions and strikes were outlawed.

Spinning Jenny

Created by James Hargreaves around 1764 and named after his daughter. A spinning machine that could keep up with the fast pace of the weavers. The flying shuttle, created by John Kay in 1733, worked much faster than the spinners did. The spinners could not keep up with the rate of this device, so the spinning Jenny was able to keep up with the weaver and increase production.

Mercantile Capitalism

Earliest phase in the development of capitalism as an economic and social system. Merchants would borrow money to buy things and resell at a profit and then pay the money back, often with interest. Didn't rely on technology or machines. Global phenomenon in society before industrial capitalism.

Why did industrialization first happen in Europe? Why not Asia or elsewhere?

Europe was the first industrialized area for a few reasons. Europe, particularly Britain, had a desire to create new technology to increase production. Europe had CLINTS, but it also had high wages. Places like India that have low wages but high production rates don't need machines because they are efficient enough but Europe was slow in production and had high wages, making it the idea place to start the revolution.

Sadler Committee

Formed by Michael Sadler, a radical British member of Parliament from Leeds, to reform the conditions in factories for women and children. Published the Sadler Report, which was the testimonies of 89 factory workers depicting the horror of factory life. Sadler lost his spot on Parliament in 1832, but published his report in 1833. Led to an increased pressure on British Parliament to protect children worker's rights, and this lead to the Factory Act of 1833 that limited the hours of employment for women and children.

How did industrialization spread?

Industrialization spread in a few ways. Industrialization spread to the US initially out of necessity. Before the war of 1812, only few places in the US has been industrialized. In 1789, a British mill worker named Samuel Slater illegally emigrated to the US and built a spinning machine while Moses Brown opened the first factory in the US to house this machine. However, that was really the only industrialization the US had ever seen. During the War, Britain blockaded the US, trying to keep it from engaging in international trade. This forced the US to use its own resources to develop their industries, causing an increase in the need for goods, which led to industrialization. Another way industrialization spread was through emigration. Many industrialized countries, like Britain, made it illegal for workers to leave the country for fear that they would recreate the machines and make other countries more productive than them. Some workers managed to escape their countries, however, and recreate machines to help other countries industrialize. Samuel Slater built the first spinning machine in the US, while William Cockerill built spinning machinery in Belgium.

Global Inequality

Industrialization widened the gap between industrialized and non industrialized countries even though it strengthened economic ties. Industrialized countries needed a steady supply of raw materials from less developed lands in order to keep factories running and workers fed, and saw these poor countries as markets for their goods. Britain was the first country to exploit its overseas colonies for resources and markets, but others like the US, Russia, Japan, and other European countries followed suit. Imperialism-the policy of extending ones country's rule over many other lands-was born out of the cycle of industrialization and gave even more power and wealth to the already wealthy nations.

What factors led to reforms in working conditions during the late industrial revolution?

Many factors led to reforms of working conditions. Factory workers were angered by the long hours, dirty and dangerous working conditions, and the threat of being laid off. By the 1800s, workers became more active in politics and joined together to form unions to try to press for reforms. Unions engaged in collective bargaining and used skilled workers such as carpenters, printers, and artisans as extra bargaining power because they would be harder to replace. This made management more likely to give the workers what they wanted, as it was easier than replacing all of their workers. Governments saw unions as a threat to social order and stability and outlawed them in the Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800. Ignoring the threat of jail or job loss, workers joined unions anyway and Parliament finally repealed the Combination Acts in 1824. Reformers like Michael Sadler, whose work inspired the Factory Act of 1833, greatly helped push reforms that decreased the hours children and women could work, increased the minimum age of child laborers, and greatly improved their conditions.

According to Karl Marx, what is the difference between Socialism and Communism?

Marx described communism as a complete form of socialism. Marx believed that socialism was a milder form of communism, and that countries would start out in a socialist economy and then transition to communism. Socialism was the first steps towards communism while communism was the final or "higher" stage of socialism. Communism was more of a political system, while socialism is a primarily economic system.

Tenement

Multistory buildings divided into crowded apartments, usually occupied by the poor. There was no sewage or sanitation system, and wastes and garbage sat on the street. Cholera and other diseases spread rapidly. In time, reformers passed laws to improve conditions in city slums.

Middle Class

New middle class began to transform the social structure of Britain. Landowners and aristocrats had one occupied the top position in British society and, with most of the wealth, wielded political and social power. However, factory owners, merchants, and bankers were starting to become more rich than the aristocrats and landowners. Landowners looked down on people who earned their money in the "vulgar" business world and it wasn't until late 1800s when rich entrepreneurs were considered equal to the lords of the countryside. A larger middle class of neither rich or poor emerged. The upper middle class was government employees, doctors, lawyers, and managers of factories, mines, and shops. The lower middle class included factory overseers and skilled workers like toolmakers, mechanical drafters, and printers.

Methodism

New religious movement created by John Wesley in the mid-1700s. Source of comfort for many working class people, as it gave them hope for a brighter future. Promoted a personal sense of faith and gave hope to poor. Methodist meetings featured hymns and sermons promising forgiveness of sin and a better life to come. Set up Sunday schools where they taught followers not only the words of the Bible but how to read and write.

Jethro Tull

One of the first scientific farmers. Invented the seed drill in 1701 to create a more effective way to spread and plant seeds. The seed drill allowed farmers to sow seeds in well-spaced rows at specific depths. A larger share of the seeds grew, and the crop yields increase.

How did women fight for change in the Industrial Revolution?

One of the major reforms during the Industrial Revolution was the fight for women's rights. The Industrial Revolution was a mixed blessing for women. Although they earned more than they did at home, women made significantly less money then men for the same job. During the 1800s, women began reforms to address these and other pressing issues. Women formed unions in trades they dominated, served as safety inspectors in factories where women worked, and ran settlement houses. Women's rights movement began as early as 1848 in the US and, in 1888, women all over the world joined together to form the International Council for Women.

Why did so many people flock to factory jobs industrial cities in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

One reason people flocked to factory jobs was because of the enclosure system. Landowners forced farmers off of their lands and, because of agricultural inventions, less farmers were needed to man the fields. The put many farmers out of jobs, so they moved to industrial cities in an attempt to find work. Factories also paid much higher wages than home jobs and small businesses, which made it more profitable to work in factories.

Capitalist

Person who supports capitalism. Some influential were Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, and David Ricardo. Their ideas were set on the foundation of laissez faire capitalism. They believed that natural laws governed economic life, opposed government efforts to help the poor, and also opposed minimum wage laws and better working conditions.

Jane Addams

Pioneer American settlement activist/reformer, author, and leader in women's suffrage and world peace. When she graduated college, she and her friend Ellen Starr founded one of the first settlements in the United States, which was the Hull House in a working class district in Chicago. Served the immigrant population of the neighborhood and trained social workers. Named co-winner of the 1931 Nobel Prize.

Enclosure System

Process enforced by rich landowners of taking over and fencing off land formerly shared with peasant farmers. In the 1500s, landowners used this to gain pastures for sheep and increase wool output but by the 1700s they wanted to create larger fields that could be cultivated more efficiently. As millions of acres were enclosed, farm output rose. Profits also rose because large fields needed less workers, but this had great human cost. Many farm laborers were put out of jobs and small farmers could not compete with large landholders. This led to a decrease in village population and urbanization, as people moved to cities in search of jobs.

How did the reforms in the later part of the Industrial Revolution prevent Marx's prediction of a dictatorship of the proletariat from coming true?

Reforms prevented Marx's prediction from coming true because Marx's predictions were made in the period before reforms. Originally work conditions in factories were very poor, which angered the workers and caused them to demand for changes. However, once the shift hours decreased, people gained more rights in power, wages increased, and the atmosphere of the factories improved, the workers lived better and happier lives, giving the proletariat no reason to overthrow the government in industrialized places because they benefitted from the effects of industrialization and didn't want to disrupt that.

Factors of Production (CLINTS)

Resources needed to produce goods and services the Industrial Revolution required. C:Capital- No money, no business. Investments and bank loans. L:Labor Supply- Population explosion and urbanization creates a large work force for factories. I:Increased demand- Population explosion creates a high demand for products. No customers, no business. N: Natural Resources- Needed to make fuel, products, factories, and machines. Coal and iron were the most popular resources. T: Transportation-Provided inexpensive way to transport raw materials, and manufactured products to markets and create new jobs. S: Stable Government- Country must be free of problems to start a successful economy, revolution and unrest target industry and discourage investment.

Class Struggle

The Industrial Revolution greatly widened the gap between the classes. The new middle class, comprised of entrepreneurs, greatly benefitted from the Revolution. Some of these entrereneurs-including merchants, inventors, and skilled artisans who developed new technologies- rose from "rags to riches". They lived in well furnished homes, dressed well, gained influence in Parliament, and lived like the nobles. The worker class however, lived in very different conditions. Workers worked long, harsh hours in poor conditions with little pay and when they came home they were forced to reside in areas of filth that had no developmental plans, sanitary codes, or building codes. They lacked adequate housing, education, and police protection for peope who came from the countryside seeking jobs. They recieved no help from the middle class and were resentful towards them.

Crop Rotations

The system of growing a different crop in a field each years to preserve the fertility of the land. One of the best developments by scientific farmers that improved upon older methods like the medival three-field system. Farmers might plant wheat one year to exhaust soil nutrients, turnips the next to restore nutrients, then barley, then clover, etc.

How did the Agricultural Revolution lead to the Industrial Revolution?

The enclosure system was the main cause the Agricultural Revolution lead to the Industrial Revolution. The enclosure system enabled landowners to cultivate larger fields, but they needed to figure out a more effective and efficient way to plant crops. This lead to the production of machines like the seed drill that first introduced machines into every day use to make work easier. The second reason is that because of the enclosure system, farmers were put out of business or kicked off of their property. This lead them to the city in search of jobs, which brought about rapid urbanization and provided plenty of workers for factories.

Industrialization

The large-scale introduction of manufactured, advanced technical enterprises, and other productive economic activity into an area, society, country, etc. Britain was the first place to industrialize, as they had CLINTS as well as high wages. The United States, Japan, Germany, France, and Belgium followed suit in industrializing, as all of the nations except for Japan had abundant resources and stable government.

The Three Natural Laws of Economics

The law of self interest, which states that people work for their own good, the law of competition, that competition forces people to make a better product, and the law of supply and demand, which states that enough goods would be produced at the lowest possible price to meet demand in a market economy.

Adam Smith

The main prophet of the laissez-faire economics who wrote The Wealth of Nations. Attested to the importance of the free market, or the unregulated exchange of goods and services. He believed that free market would benefit members of all social classes, not just the rich, and produce more goods at lower prices, making them more affordable to everyone. He also believed that free market would encourage capitalists to invest more money in new economic ventures.

Bourgeoisie

The middle class. During the Industrial Revolution, a new middle class came into power. Entrepreneurs, including merchants, investors, artisans, and factory owners, formed this new wealthy middle class. Middle class families lived in nice homes, dressed well, ate well, and even gained power in Parliament. Women were encouraged to become "ladies" and live lifestyles similar to nobles by taking up activities like drawing, embroidery, or playing the piano. Daughters were educated to maintain happy, well furnished homes for their future husbands while sons gained education to become businessmen. This new middle class valued hard work and determination and offered little sympathy to the poor, as they believed their misfortune was their own doing.

Means of Production

The places or objects that are used to produce the goods people bought or sold. Factories and mines were the first major areas where worker built or obtained resources and materials. Factories produced anything from machines, to transportation devices to clothing, while mines held resources like coal, iron, wood, and other products as well as housed water. The equipment used to industrialize also greatly broadened the means of production. The first inventions were agricultural inventions like the seed drill in 1701 and advances in transportation, such as the advances on steam engines made by James Watt and the first successful steamboat created by Robert Fulton in 1807. Within the Industrial Revolution, the textile industry was the first to industrialize. John Kay built the flying shuttle, James Hargreaves built the spinning jenny in 1764, and Richard Arkwright invented the waterframe, which used water power to speed up spinning even further. New methods of production also emerged. Factories designed interchangeable parts to simplify assembly and repair, and, in the early 1900s, manufacturers created the assembly lines to make production faster and cheaper.

How did the rise of the middle class in the 19th century affect British society?

The rise of the middle class greatly affected British society. In the past, landowners and aristocrats occupied the top position of British society and had all the political and social power because of their wealth. Now, however, some factory owners, merchants, and bankers grew wealthier than the landowners and aristocrats, and this eventually led to a larger middle class that was neither rich nor poor. This new power amongst the middle class gave them political and social power and some middle class members even became a part of Parliament. All in the middle class enjoyed a comfortable standard of living.

Utilitarianism

The theory, proposed by Jeremy Bentham in the late 1700s, that government actions are useful only if they promote the greatest good for the greatest amount of people. Bentham modified the ideas of Adam Smith and created a theory that proposed people should judge ideas, institutions, and actions based on their usefulness. John Stuart Mill led the utilitarian movement in the 1800s. He questioned unregulated capitalism and pushed for reforms in the legal and prison systems and in education.

Dictatorship of the Proletariat

Theory proposed by Marx where, in a communist society, the workers would control the government. Marx believed that the large proletariat, being cheated by capitalism and the Revolution, would revolt and seize the factories and mills from capitalists. The workers would control the government until people began to understand how to live in a communist society and, after a period of cooperative living and education, the state or government would wither away as a classless society developed.

Thomas Malthus

Thomas Malthus was the writer of Essay on the Principle of Population whose writings on population shaped economic thinking for generations. He had similar views to Adam Smith and believed in the dismal sciences, the idea that the population would outpace the food supply. He argued war, disease, and famine were the only things balancing the population, and urged people to have less children. His views were originally accepted but proved to be too pessimistic due to the rise in food supply and prosperity of families.

How were Utilitarian ideas different from those of Socialists and Capitalists?

Utilitarian ideas differed from those of Socialists and Capitalists in a few ways. Utilitarianism is the theory, proposed by Jeremy Bentham in the late 1700s, that government actions are useful only if they promote the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Utilitarianism is a balance between socialism and capitalism, as he believed government should still exist but the individual should be free to do whatever he wanted. These ideas differed from Capitalism because Capitalists believed there should be no government interference, while Utilitarianism supported having a government as long as it promoted the greatest good for the greatest amount of people. Socialists believed that the people should own all factors of production and everything should be shared equally, while Utilitarians believed that although governments should be present, individuals, for the most part, should be able to do what they wanted.

Proletariat

Workers or working class people. This term is often used in the context of Marxism or communism Marx believed that the proletariat would revolt against the manufacturers and factories, seize factories and mills from the capitalists, and produce what society needed. Marx believed the workers would share their profits and promote economic equality for all. Believed they would control the government in the "dictatorship of the proletariat" until there was peace and harmony and a government was no longer needed.

Did the benefits of Industrialism outweigh the hardships? Explain with examples.

Yes, the benefits of industrialism outweighed the hardships. This is because the positive effects of industrialization were permanent, while the side effects only lasted a few decades. While Industrialism was originally associated with poor living and working conditions, hard labor, and long work hours, that changed as reforms took over. Industrialism immediately promoted healthier diets, cheaper goods, and an increase in supply. It created jobs for workers, contributed to the wealth of the nations, and fostered technological progress and invention. While workers originally had poor living conditions and long hours, they eventually won higher wages, shorter hours, and better living conditions.It also created educational opportunities, as children received education in factories and there was an increased demand for engineers and clerical and professional workers. Industrialism is also still evident in today's society, minus the problems it caused workers. Today, because of industrialism,most people can afford goods that were considered luxuries just 50 to 60 years ago. Working and living conditions have greatly improved, tax revenues have been produced because of the profits derived from industrialization, and these funds have allowed local, state, and federal governments to invest in urban improvements and raise the standard of living of most city dwellers. Overall, the benefit of industrialism outweighed the negatives.