Industrial Revolution and Class Conflict were experienced during the period of late18th century and early 19th century by Western countries. They contributed to great changes in economic and social aspects as a result of main changes in manufacturing, agriculture, transport and elimination of the oppression of some Social Classes. These changes have had an insightful effect to the socio-economic and cultural conditions in different countries such as Britain among other Western nations. Industrial Revolution brought about changes that consequently spread out to North America, Europe and finally to all parts in the world. Class conflict was also referred to as class warfare or class war which affected people of West. Class conflict has been weakened by the developing affluence among the Western countries.[1]
Relationship between Industrial Revolution and Class Conflict
Class conflict was a friction that came along with social relationship between different Social Classes with rivalry that existed in the West society. Western people had different tradition and culture that contributed to class conflict but this was wiped away by Industrial Revolution and elimination of class conflict. There were conflicts of interest among different Social Classes in the West. Like Industrial Revolution, Class Conflict played a great role in history of Social Class among the Western societies. Classes like feudalism and capitalism existed leading to social conflict which economically and socially affected people of the West. Class conflict can be felt through direct violence like wars, indirect violence like death as a result of poverty and cheap labor. people died from unsafe working conditions like coercion.[2]
Commencement of Industrial Revolution marked the main revolving position in human civilization because it definitely influenced every aspect of life. There was a transition in the late 1700s in Great Britain in the economy based on manual labor towards use of machine in manufacturing due to advancement in technology. Mechanization of textile industries, growth in techniques of iron making and better use of more advanced coal marked the start of Industrial Revolution. There was expansion in trade enabling invention of canals with better railways and roads. During 19th century, the effect of Industrial Revolution spread out to North America and Western Europe eventually impacting most parts of the world with an enormous change. First Industrial Revolution combined with Second Industrial Revolution in 1980s due to economic and technological advancement. This led to invention of steam powered ship with generation of electric power and internal combustion of engine. During Industrial Revolution, there was a stable GDP per capita with emergency of modern capitalistic economy. Industrial Revolution was the most significant period in history with most important inventions originating from the ern World mainly United States and Europe.[3]
Class Conflict and Industrial Revolution had an outstanding contribution to the historiography of English. They both represent the continuation and they brought a difference to the remarkable traditions in social history that was mostly in ern especially Britain. Industrial Revolution came about with outgrowth of institutional and social changes that wiped out feudalism after English War. The heart of Industrial Revolution was technological innovation that necessitated improvement of almost every aspect. In the industrial and capitalistic society, there was a class conflict between the bourgeoisie and proletariat. Societies were divided into classes and the struggle among them was an engine for their change. Class conflict in Western society structure had no deviational or functional class elements that maintained the system. Society structure was derivative and a component of the conflict class. Society among the Western people was divided into three Social Classes; the bourgeoisie, landowners and proletariat. Social Classes were determined by property but not income status.[4]
The funding of inadequate monopolies by the government was an influential factor toward Industrial Revolution. In countries like Europe, Industrial Revolution was as a result of technological advancement and innovation. Agricultural improvement as a result of Industrial Revolution led to increase in food supply and raw materials and change in industrial structure. Innovation of new technology led to increased agricultural production, profits and effectiveness with increased foreign and domestic commerce. All the activities that facilitated Industrial Revolution were interrelated. Agriculture played and occupied a greater position in the process because it offered food and raw materials for population and industries respectively. Industrial Revolution not only had an impact on the economic and social aspects but also on human aspects which was marked by increase in population. This was as a result of abate in deaths rate and increase in birth rate. There was also abolition of deadly diseases and increased food availability. Class conflict being the struggle between working classes, laboring and bourgeoisie it had a great impact to people’s lives. [5]
Capitalists exploited the proletariat for the profit forcing people’s lives into horrible conditions and poverty. According to Marx, proletariats were able to overthrow capitalist system and replaced it with communist in which workers will have control. Class conflict was traditional reformation of socialism with Trades Unions and Labor Party. In Britain, conflict between traditional classes was described as conflict between Labor Party and Conservative Party. Labor Party fought for the rights of the workers which were supported by the working class while conservatives supported middle classes. Class conflict made the working class economically better. People of all classes were given authority to purchase council houses and own shares. There was creation of employment opportunities for the middle class after decline of the traditional industries. Greater percentage of population was employed in the manual sector. Class conflict was restrained but not as a result of growing effluence. Capitalist overthrew proletariat improving working conditions for the worker. They converted some worker to middle class and succeeded in pushing many workers out of capitalistic system completely. Self help and classical liberation had a greater responsibility in improving people’s welfare.[6]
There was incredible ideological clash with socialism whereby people wanted to campaign for better status but they were unable to achieve. Termination of Cold war and collapse of the USSR by the end of 1980s weakened class conflict. Western powers had already defeated socialism prompting people to declare the “End of History.” Class conflict came to an end and new social-democratic and liberal consensus emerged. Emergency of new labor marked the end of Class Conflict with those who campaigned for labor government having a feeling of great achievement. In United States, Industrial Revolution had greater significance to economic development increasing America’s growth. The second Industrial Revolution really changed economy and American society to be a modern urban-industrial state. Passing of the Embargo Act in 1807 and War of 1812 truly marks the real drive for America. The war between America and Britain proved that America was in need of more economic independence and better transportation system. Industrial Revolution brought bout industrialization in America which involved expansion of transport, connection of electricity, improvement of refining process and increasing production.[7]
Class conflict is far from termination as many have believed because traditional leaders still dominate and influence our system. Causes of class conflict are still there but silenced by the traditional leaders. Middle class people are unwilling in speaking out. The new acquired standards for the middle working class, there is need for maintaining capitalistic system. The theory of Marx of capitalistic cycle still exists even today. Even in early 20th century, there was development in labor movement like economic explosion and constancy. If economy breaks again then the history will go back to where it was. There is also slow erosion of traditional elites through policies such as devolution with reformation of Lords house due to people differences and culture. Another occurrence of changes that may result to collapse of the economy would result to class conflict again.[8]
Even in today’s society class conflict exists, this can be termed as the war between “haves and have-nots.” Industrial Revolution is a nodal point that had a quantitative and qualitative change to the political and economic systems that no longer satisfied people’s needs but changed offering them with new conditions. As a result of both Industrial Revolution and Class conflict, there was change of slavery to feudalism and feudalism to capitalism then capitalism to communism in Western society. Economic class was characterized by the mean of production related with Social Class characterizing capitalism society of bourgeoisie and proletariat also known as working class and capitalist. People of the Western lived their lives anticipating for stability and peace in their society. Industrial Revolution created new expectation to the people of West changing their culture, tradition and beliefs.[9]
Conclusion
People of West had social and economic aspects that shaped their lives together with their traditions and cultures. All these were changed by Industrial Revolution and abating of Class Conflict. Before 18th century, people of West suffered from class conflict which is the case even today. This problem was half-way solved by Industrial Revolution which changed slavery to feudalism, feudalism to capitalism and capitalism to communism giving workers the mandate to have a say. Industrial Revolution affected the whole of Western countries; it was not a government policy but this represented a transition from early modern history to modernity which arrested most economic and social problem. There was integration and rationalism of economic, cultural and social life of West people bringing forth significant benefits during that era.
Bibliography
Harvey, John, “Class struggle and the Industrial Revolution: early industrial capitalism in three English towns,” Journal of historical geography, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1975, pp. 109-111
Hunt, Lynn, making of the: Peoples and Culture, (2nd Ed.), Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 1560
Mantoux, Philip, the Industrial Revolution in the Eighteenth Century, London: Metheun, 1961
[1]J. Harvey, “Class struggle and the Industrial Revolution: early industrial capitalism in three English towns,” Journal of historical geography, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1975, pp. 109-111
[2] P. Mantoux, the Industrial Revolution in the Eighteenth Century, London: Metheun, 1961
[3] J. Harvey, “Class struggle and the Industrial Revolution: early industrial capitalism in three English towns,” Journal of historical geography, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1975, pp. 109-111
[4] L. Hunt, making of the : Peoples and Culture, (2nd Ed.), Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 1560
[5] P. Mantoux, the Industrial Revolution in the Eighteenth Century, London: Metheun, 1961
[6] L. Hunt, making of the : Peoples and Culture, (2nd Ed.), Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 1560
[7] P. Mantoux, the Industrial Revolution in the Eighteenth Century, London: Metheun, 1961
[8] J. Harvey, “Class struggle and the Industrial Revolution: early industrial capitalism in three English towns,” Journal of historical geography, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1975, pp. 109-111
[9] J. Harvey, “Class struggle and the Industrial Revolution: early industrial capitalism in three English towns,” Journal of historical geography, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1975, pp. 109-111
