The Industrial Revolution, which occurred from the 18th to the 19th century, caused major transformations in Europe and North America. It replaced agricultural societies with advancements in agriculture, technology, transportation, and more. This era saw the rise of canals, roads, steam power, combustion engines, as well as significant progress in manufacturing and factory work. These changes had a profound effect on daily life and society overall.
This paper aims to analyze the significant societal impacts caused by the Industrial Revolution and industrialization overall, particularly focusing on the working conditions and dynamics in plantations and factories. During this period, it becomes evident that individuals from the middle class, including employers, business owners, and factory owners, would benefit while lower-class workers were poorly paid and exposed to unfavorable circumstances. As a result, a considerable gap arose between the upper/middle classes and the lower class.
The Industrial Revolution brought about significant changes in technology, economics, and society. It ushered in a period of prosperity and achievement mainly for the middle class, and to some extent, the upper class. The process of industrialization resulted in employment opportunities in factories and mills, which drove the development of urban areas and caused a substantial migration from rural areas.
During the Industrial Revolution, there was an increase in employment, but workers faced difficult lives due to long hours and low wages. This period also deepened the economic and social gap between the rich and the poor, leading to the emergence of distinct social classes. Additionally, child labor became more common, exposing children to even harsher working conditions than adults. Living conditions during this era were terrible as large families lived in overcrowded houses under dreadful circumstances.
During the Industrial Revolution, worker strikes and revolts against employers were provoked by disease and high mortality rates. Trade unions emerged as a response to these issues, with the goal of enhancing workers’ conditions and rights in factories. While conflicts between employers and unions frequently arose, compromises were ultimately made, leading to improvements in working conditions. In Europe, the Industrial Revolution was mainly characterized by the prevalence of factories, particularly in textile manufacturing and other heavy industries.
The Agricultural Revolution during the Industrial Revolution led to the expansion of plantations in both North America and Europe. These plantations primarily focused on agriculture. Workers in factories and plantations faced similar and different working conditions. One similarity was the strict time regulations, as seen in the Factory Rules in Berlin which stated that work started at 6AM and ended at 7PM, with regulated breaks for breakfast, lunch, and tea (Bedford, p. 74).
The plantation exhibits the same level of stringent management. The manager is expected to wake up at dawn each morning, and specific times are designated for the slaves to have breakfast and dinner, which are faithfully adhered to (De Bow, p. 177). Moreover, severe consequences await employees who either fail to conclude their work at the end of the day or depart earlier than permitted without authorization. In the Berlin factory, this penalty entails the denial of overtime payments, while on the plantation, absent workers can be “punished” by the manager.
Conversation among workers is not allowed in the Berlin factory. Workers are required to comply with rules, show respect, and inform their supervisor about everything. Punishments and fines for workers are harsh, particularly considering their low incomes. These penalties are collected in a “sick fund,” presumably designed to support sick and injured employees due to the absence of any apparent insurance. Similar stringent regulations on time are imposed on workers in Plantation Management.
The text highlights that physicians and nurses provide care for the sick, cooks are available for workers, and managers take responsibility for maintaining the workplace. Workers receive comfortable accommodations, clothing, and provisions. Despite both professions being demanding with a high risk of illness or injury, workers are paid low wages and must follow strict schedules. However, it is reasonable to assume that plantation workers have better working conditions compared to factory workers as they receive compensation in the form of shelter, food, and clothing. It is important to consider how these documents portray the workers after reading these primary sources. The authors of these documents can be inferred to belong to the middle class rather than being workers themselves. These articles serve as guidelines for managing worker behavior and plantation operations.
The intended audience for these guidelines are likely plantation managers and factory supervisors. They are meant to help these individuals effectively manage and control their workers in order to maximize efficiency and productivity and to create an ideal working environment. The guidelines assume that the workers are highly efficient and have minimal desires and needs, almost resembling robots. The rules in the Factory Rules in Berlin emphasize the idea of industrialization as a process of mechanizing production and manufacturing to achieve maximum efficiency, productivity, and cost-effectiveness.
The same mentality is present in factory managers and to a lesser degree, plantation owners. However, workers did not share this mentality and frequently revolted against oppressive factory owners during the Industrial Revolution. These revolts led to the formation of unions, where organized workers came together to strive for better working conditions and other shared objectives. Employers had significant power over the less skilled workers, leading to mistreatment and low wages, prompting the formation of unions to protect or enhance employment conditions.
Trade/labor unions, which originated from the Industrial Revolution, remain active today. These documents represent a significant era characterized by ongoing strife between workers and, at times, business owners. The contrasting perspectives and circumstances created a dilemma: businesses aimed for efficiency and profitability, often neglecting labor and conditions, while workers suffered oppression and endured arduous work without fair compensation or suitable conditions.
The document reflects a society that operated under an unjust system, where employers and business owners profited from the laborer’s hard work but failed to provide adequate compensation and often mistreated them. The relationship between laborers and overseers was fraught with tension due to conflicting desires, especially within the factory system. Laborers were obligated to obey and show respect to their supervisors, who controlled their employment and well-being. Power abuse was prevalent, leading to severe consequences for “misbehavior” and subpar work. However, on plantations, managers had to collaborate more closely with the laborers instead of opposing them.
During the Industrial Revolution, factory owners and plantation owners had the duty to maintain appropriate working conditions, enforce timely work schedules, and supply necessary clothing and supplies for their laborers. However, it is evident that the factory owner was more stringent and less forgiving towards workers in comparison to the plantation owner. Nonetheless, it is important to recognize that employees in both settings faced difficult lives. The Industrial Revolution brought about notable transformations and progressions that have impacted contemporary society. Various innovations were introduced, leading to enhanced production methods and increased affordability and accessibility of goods.
The existence of today’s cities is reliant on the occurrence of the Industrial Revolution. However, it must be acknowledged that the development of these cities came at a price – laborers endured poor working conditions in factories and plantations, often under the supervision of managers and supervisors who profited greatly.
Works Cited: Cowan, Ruth. A Social History of American Technology. Oxford University Press. (1997). De Bow. Plantation Management, (1853): 177-8. Bedford. Factory Rules in Berlin 1844, Sources of the Making of the West, Vol. II. (2001).
