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Explore the impact of the Industrial Revolution on life in the industrial cities, the working class protests, the spread of Methodism, the emergence of the new middle class, the benefits and problems of industrialization, laissez-faire economics, utilitarianism, socialism, and the scientific socialism of Karl Marx.
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The Industrial Revolution Life in the Industrial Cities
The Working Class Protests • There was resistance to the new “labor saving” machines that were costing people their jobs. • Machines were smashed and factories were burned. • These rioters were called Luddites, after a mythical figure, Ned Ludd, who supposedly destroyed machines in the 1780s. • Because of the violent protests, workers were forbidden to organize into groups and strikes were outlawed.
Spread of Methodism • Many working class people found comfort in a new religious movement. • John Wesley founded the Methodist Church. • Preached about moral ways. • Tried to rekindle hope among the working poor. • They set up Sunday Schools where they not only taught the Bible, but also learned to read and write. • Methodists helped channel workers anger away from revolution and toward social reform.
The New Middle Class • Those who benefited most from the Industrial Revolution were the entrepreneurs who set it in motion. • The New Middle Class: consisted of merchants, inventors, and skilled artisans. • They lived in comfort and gained Influence in Parliament. • They influenced their women to be “lady-like.” • They hired maids, took up ladylike activities such as embroidery, drawing or playing the piano. • A “lady” did not work outside of the household. • They educated their daughters to keep a nice household, and educated their sons to be businessmen. • They believed the poor had only themselves to blame.
Problems (before labor unions.) Harsh working conditions. Dismal living conditions. Low pay. Unemployment Benefits Material gains. More jobs. Higher pay. Lower travel costs. Benefits and Problems Industrialization often begins with great suffering, but in the end, it produces more material benefits for more people.
The Industrial Revolution New Ways of Thinking
Laissez Faire Economics • Believed that government should not interfere with economics. • Adam Smith: author of Wealth of Nations. • Asserted that the free market would help everyone not just the rich. • Thomas Malthus: Predicted population would out grow the food supply. • Urged families to have fewer children. • David Ricardo also believed that poor had too many children. • Did not hold out hope for the working class to ever escape poverty.
The Utilitarians Utilitarianism: Jeremy Bentham believed that the goal of society should be “the greatest happiness for the greatest number of citizens. • Utilitarians saw the need for some government intervention. John Stuart Mill: • Wanted government to help improve the lives of the working class. • His ideas were at first rejected, but have now been absorbed over time.
Emergence of Socialism • Socialism: system in which the people as a whole rather than private individuals own all property and operate all business or means of production. (Opposite of capitalism) • The Utopians: tried to build self-sufficient communities in which all work was shared and all property was owned in common. • Believed this would make fighting disappear. • Robert Owen: Successful mill owner. • Refused child labor. • Built homes for workers, opened a school for the children, and treated his employees well.
The “Scientific Socialism” of Karl Marx • Communism: is a form of socialism that sees class struggle between employers and employees as unavoidable. • Marxism: Marx theorized that economics was the driving force in history. • Believed entire course of history was a struggle between the “haves” and “have-nots” • Marx despises capitalism. He believed it created prosperity for only a few and poverty for many. • He called for an international struggle to bring about its downfall. He urged “Working class of all countries Unite!”
Looking Ahead: Leaders of a number of reform movements adopted the idea that power should be held by workers rather than business owners. Failures: • Many of the assumptions Marx based his theories on were wrong. • His assumption that workers would all band together proved wrong. Nationalism was stronger than an international labor movement. • Worker misery led to reforms not revolutions. • Revolutions: In Russia a revolution set up a communist-inspired government. • Independence leaders in Asia, Latin America, and Africa would turn to Marxism
