The Industrial Revolution in the 18th Century Essay Example

The 18th century, a period of exciting innovations. Turing agricultural cities to factory farms. The inventions of newly oiled machinery created a new lifestyle and economical framework for the world. Before textiles and factories, people had to hand make all products and goods. Now a machine can produce tenfold the amount of goods. To the eye of a capitalist, this is a money-making machine. However, with new innovations, needs new regulations. A political economy erupts and determines the production rate of factories. Contemporaries of the 18th century recognize the positive outcome of industrial capitalism, ranging from mass production of everyday goods to the iron age. However, people fought industrial capitalism because of poor working conditions, low wages, and an overall poor quality of life. A man can become financially free, as seen in the case of William Fairbairn. 

William Fairbairn, creating one of the best success stories for himself through his revolutionizing engineering techniques in the manufacturing industry. Samuel Smiles an author, wrote inspirational books. In 1859, Smiles published, “Self-Help”, a book which displayed how people of the century became successful. Within the “saga”, Smiles, chose to write about Mr. Fairbairn due to Fairbairn’s success and having worked rigorously to become an elite mill owner. Smiles explained that Mr. Fairbairn moved to Manchester at the age of 24. Smiles describes how Mr. Fairbairn had no money but that did not stop Mr. Fairbairn. The idea of anyone with or without money is why people of the time pushed for industrial capitalism. The person themselves, were responsible for becoming financially free. Smiles depicts that to become successful, an enthusiast must come from humble beginnings, obtain ambition, and contain no fear of rejection. Smiles wrote, “This was a formidable enterprise for a young firm without capital and almost without plant to undertake: but they had confidence in themselves, and boldly replied that they were willing and able to execute the work.” Fairbairn reflected a passion for entrepreneurship and innovation. This passion led Fairbairn to work rigorous hours, a quality, Smiles harps to become successful. 

In the 18th century, the regulations and laws provided to the working class were light. The contemporaries of the time debated that working hour should be reduced for men, woman, and children. In the 1846-47 Factory legislation Debates, John Fielden, a major cotton producer in England, preached for a 10-hour workday. Mr. Fielden focused on the woman and children between the ages 13-18. Mr. fielden stated, “It is the most critical period of life; it was well ascertained that they have not now the opportunities of healthful recreation and of moral instruction that they absolutely require, and that their physical powers are, in many cases, destroyed.” The long hours lead to poor health amongst the working class. Joseph Brotherton, a pervious manual laborer, stated the employed were not created to eat, drink, work, and die and that, “it was important to statesmen to consider their physical and moral and social condition.” The long hours lead the working class to poor health, Mr. fielden explained how the “Leading principal of political economy is the care of the lives, the health, and the morals of the people.” By keeping the working class healthy and alive, the workers themselves will continue to produce and the production shall not be diminished by everlasting work in the mills. Alongside the long working hours, the conditions of the factories and towns allocated to the poor health conditions.

The working conditions of the 18th century created a crummy environment to work in. Such extreme conditions, lead Friedrich Engels to compare the conditions to murder. Mr. Engels explains how murder has been committed when, “society places hundreds of workers in such a position that they inevitably come to premature and unnatural ends ends…deprived of necessities of life… have been forced by the strong arm of the law to go on living under such conditions until death inevitably releases them.” Mr. Engels, explains, that murder is the knowledge of these aspects. The factories in the cities contributed to poor health amongst the working class. The smoke produced from the factories created horrible air quality in the cities due to the layout of the English town. Mr. Engels describes, “The carbon dioxide gas produced by the people breathing and fires burning fails to rise from the streets because of its specific gravity and its not dispersed by the winds which blow over the rooftops.” The lack of air flow throughout the city leads to insufficient intake of oxygen. The lack of oxygen intake affects physical and mental health. Along with the horrid air quality, the living conditions the factory works lived in were not livable. The conditions within the quarters did not have water due the owners not paying for pipes. Human waste, garbage, dirty water filled the streets of the working class. The mass volume of workers shoveled into the quarters created the mass production of filth within the streets. The quality of the living quarters and long working hours amongst the working led indulgences. The two promises the working class had at the end of a work contained, sex and alcohol, “This forces them to excessive indulgence in the only two pleasures remaining to them.” Alongside, Joseph Brotherton stated, “We will give you public parks and public institutions- and yet, after keeping them immured twelve hours a day in factories, to expect them to cultivate their minds and become good subjects.”  Because of the harsh conditions, the working class only wants to relax and blow off steam before they must return to work. 

The industrial revolution may have gained bad qualities throughout the revolution. However, the contemporaries of the time saw the good outweighed the bad and continued to advance the Industrial revolution. Despite the bad, the good, is due to the advanced machinery invented. With the industrial push, a newfound love for iron is implemented into all products, and the bourgeoisie is introduced. 

The industrial revolution was built on iron. Iron was the foundation of roads, building and ships. In 1831, the iron vessel finally set sail. The iron created a stronger and narrower hull. The structural integrity of the new iron vessels allowed the ships to maneuver through shallower channels and upriver. Another benefit from the iron age, is the creation of steam powered machinery. Mr. Fairbairn noticed the strength of iron and it became the focal point of structural integrity. The structures included, “Iron-and crystal palaces, Iron churches, and iron bridges. Iron roads… iron locomotives and before many years have passed a telegraph of iron wire will probably be found circling the globe. Iron roofs, iron bedstead, iron ropes, and iron pavement.” Wooden structures now a thing of the past because the lack of structural integrity.

With the iron age on full production, iron can be welded into an entrepreneur’s imagination. Iron can save on production cost therefore contemporaries pushed for iron compared to natural resources. Iron’s ability to increase travel, lead to an increase in trade within the economy. The increase in trade throughout the world gave rise to the modern Bourgeoise. The Bourgeoise rose after the rounding of the Cape. This opened trade routes, once “monopolized by close guilds.” With iron vessels advancing trade routes, it created the “Free Trade” market. With a new market people to the lowest status, unlike before, were seen trading products and boosting economy. With the mass production of products and Bourgeoisie on the rise, the proletariat are behind the production force of the new markets. 

The proletariat, the modern working class, described as, “A class of laborer’s, who live only so long as they find work, and who find work only so long as their labor increases capital.” With the new free market, the modern working class is at the expense of the profits the Bourgeoise. The proletariat began to unionize. The unions focused to increase the wages and working conditions. the unions increased communications back to parliament and the greedy business owners.