The Industrial Revolution In England Essay Research

The Industrial Revolution In England Essay, Research Paper

The Industrial Revolution in England

The Industrial Revolution brought about a major change in the lives of

almost all of the people of England. The people of the working class

benefitted from the Industrial Revolution. In other words, I am an

optimist. I think that the standard of living of the people increased.

However, I also believe that many people of the working class lost their

independence as a result of the revolution. Greed did not increase over

this time period because there was just as much greed before the

Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was a step forward for

women because they wanted to be at home with their children. The working

class in England had a higher standard of living during the Industrial

Revolution than before it started.

Living Standards

The living standards of the working class of England improved during the

Industrial Revolution. At the start of the revolution, from 1790 to 1815,

prices and wages grew steeply. At this point, the prices were a little

higher than the wages. This was due to the war against France from 1793

to 1815. Was it just a coincidence that the prices were higher only

during the time that the war was going on. I do not believe that this was

the case. Prices tend to go up during wars. After the war with France

ended, the prices went back down very sharply. Wages did not decrease as

much. They went down marginally, but not close to the sharp decline in

prices. For the bulk of the revolution, wages were higher than the

prices. After the people of England had bought their necessities to live

on, they still had money left over because of the decrease in prices.

This constituted higher living standards because the people had more money

to spend on things other than the necessities. !

Pessimists argue that the chart from which this information was taken is

incorrect because it only shows factory workers. However, the factories

were where most of the people of England were working. People knew that

they would make more money in the factories, and consequently, the people

of England flocked to the factories. Pessimists also claim that it is

unfair to disclaim responsibility for the Industrial Revolution during the

war time years with France. But why should optimists be responsible for

the years of poor living standards when it was not the revolution’s fault.

It was the war’s fault, not the revolution’s fault. It is obvious that

over the course of the Industrial Revolution, death rates in England

decreased. There was also a large population increase because of the

decreased mortality rates. “20% of the population growth came from

increased birth rates, while the rest came from declining mortality

rates.” (Bin. p. 103) From 1700-1750, the death rates i!

n England were 32 out of every thousand people per year. By the

1810’s, death rates were down to 21 out of every thousand people. At the

end of the revolution, in the 1840’s, the death rates were at 22 out of

every thousand people per year. “There were no significant medical

advances until after 1850 …, so improved housing, clothing, real wages,

and diets reduced the mortality rates.” (Bin. p.103) The pessimists point

out that almost all of the decline in death rates occurred before 1800.

This is correct. However, the death rates still went down. They also

point out that when the effects of industrialization took hold, the

national death rates rose from 21/1000 to 23/1000. But, even though they

rose by two more people per thousand, this is insignificant compared with

how much the death rates had already decreased. While from the 1810’s to

the 1830’s, the rates went up by two people per thousand, in the 1840’s,

the death rates went back down to 22/1000. The starting point used by the

pessimists of 1820 is unfair because it fails!

to include the portion of history during which the death rates fell the

most. “The pessimists unfairly select 1820 as their starting point, which

is to their advantage in the debate, but the technological changes in

cotton and iron, which brought about industrialization all occurred in the

1770’s and 1780’s.” (Bin. p.104) The pessimists also say that the death

rates increased in the cities. In fact, throughout the whole revolution,

they did not. In Manchester, the death rates fell from 40/1000 in 1770 to

33/1000 in the 1840’s. The death rates did go up from the 1830’s to the

1840’s, but that does not outweigh the decrease in the rates before then.

These decreased mortality rates point to an increase in the living

standards in the general population of England.

Independence

During the Industrial Revolution, the people of England lost their

independence. Before the changes were made which brought about the

Industri

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