Conditions of the working class in Industrial Revolution
In the history of the world, Industrial Revolution was first startedin England in the 18th century. Beginning of the machine age, small firmsproduced most of their needs by hand and by hand made tools. During thesecond half of the 18th century, changes took place, which gave a new turnto the techniques of production, with industrial based economic- systembeing the result of industrial revolution. The agrarian revolution providedsufficient number of laborers required for the working in the factories.The stable Government and the control of the Government in hands of thecapitalist class thus resulted in the growth of the industry in England. During the period of infancy of the Industrial Revolution, England wasconsidered to be a place where whatever statistics available showed thatthe production of all commodities increased tenfold. The volume and amountof sales increased considerably and the profits to the owners wereenormous. But this was not the rosy picture of the large section of theworking population who were toiling throughout the day, and dwelling inunhealthy conditions. Even though a division of the rich and the poor were
Working class who were wholly dependent on employers,workers had to accept what ever wage the employer offered, since there wereusually more workers than jobs available. At the sametime they were also of the view that the employers would not accept thelaws, which was against them, and it was impossible to promote obediencefrom them to the laws. The workers in England had good memories for their unified struggle-with the strike of 1822 had increased their wages to 35 centimes for anhour, the strike of 1833 had increased their wages to 40 centimes and thestrike of 1845 had got them wages of 50 centimes. The working class gaveshape to the Chartist movement in England, which called for universalsuffrage, payment to members elected to the House of Commons, annualParliaments, no property qualification for candidates, voting by means ofthe ballot system to prevent intimidation and of equal electoral districts. But there was oppositionto the bill from people like Dr. Dirty surroundings were the horrible condition ofchild labors in a factory. When complaints were brought to the courts alsothey were not able to get justice, since the magistrate was sometimes thesame employer against which they were complaining, or the magistrate wasbelonging to the same class or thinking on the same lines. There weremany laws, which considered illegal the union of workers to raise the wagesof workers. There were laws already, which were sufficient to alleviate thepoverty of the workers. They took the matter to the Parliament and madespeeches in favor of reducing the working hours, and even influenced manyof their colleagues to vote in favor of the bill. Working laborers lived in dirtycolonies and dark damp houses. Thechartist movement slowly disappeared since the better conditions, whichwere promised by the movement, did not come or were coming only in part. The worker had to thus accept employer's terms or bejobless. The trade unions contributed towards buildingclass sentiments and of bringing about co-operation and communication amongthe working class.
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