Skip to main content

The Effects of the Industrial Revolution on Social Class | Essay, Sample

Essay The Effects of the Industrial Revolution on Social Class

The Effects of the Industrial Revolution on Social Class 


Before the end of the 17th century, most economies in the world practiced handiwork production processes. However, this changed with the onset of the next century; a period during which agriculture and other sectors of economy integrated the use of mechanized means of primary and secondary production. In different parts of the world and at home, Britain gained popularity as the first country to incorporate new forms of production. Most countries learned the success of the mechanization idea, and towards the middle of the 18th century, many nations had adopted the use of the technique. Although the industrial revolution had a significant impact on the global economies, its introduction led to adverse ramifications on some aspects of the social class. Thus, this paper will discuss the revolution’s effect on social class.

In essence, the industrial revolution increased the size of the wealthy class. The occurrence of the revolution seems to have worked to the advantage of the middle and the upper class. This is inherently clear when analyzing its effect on the size of the different classes of individuals with respect to their economic status and power to purchase (Findling & Thackeray, 2002). The establishment and integration of new technological models of manufacturing led to the subsequent reduction in the prices of some commodities, which eventually increased the individual’s power to make purchases. Individuals that earlier found it difficult to obtain certain products due to reasons based on price ceilings later gained power of buying such products, implying the surge in economic benefits to a part of the existing population. 

Additionally, despite the surge in the buying power among certain populations, due to industrial growth, the size of the poor doubled at a rate that surpassed the ratio of growth in the size of the rich. Individuals with limited work skills were required to perform most of the menial jobs which yielded low wages (Findling & Thackeray, 2002). Consequently, low wages implied that the poor missed out of the amenities enjoyed by the rich, such as some entertainment facilities. Moreover, machinery replaced certain forms of human labor, causing job losses and unemployment. Therefore, the economic strain among the poor increased due to work strain. 

On the other hand, although the revolution had adverse consequences on the economically disadvantaged populations, it inspired the growth of some aspects of economies, to which each class accrued benefits. For instance, growth and development in the manufacturing sector provided a platform for initiation of new ventures and amenities that were significant to the whole groups of classes. Besides, the growth in the number of learning, medical, and recreational institutions provided a lot of services to people, irrespective of socioeconomic status (Seccombe, 2005). Thus, the same measure of the usefulness of education to the poor was significantly important to the rich and so was the value of medication. In this regard, the revolution was more of a significant viability to all social classes. 

In conclusion, effects of the industrial revolution on social class are inherent in some aspects of its repercussions within the economic framework. Besides doubling the number of the poor and the rich, it caused a rise in the economic gap between the two. However, despite the revolution’s negative impact on the social class, it is a reason for the growth of economies of different countries such as Britain and America. Therefore, the revolution had a general significance value. 

Reference 

  • Findling, J. E., & Thackeray, F. W. (2002). Events that changed Great Britain since 1689. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. 
  • Seccombe, W. (2005). Weathering the storm: Working-class families from the industrial revolution to the fertility decline. London: Verso.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CyberCrime | Essay, Sample

  Cybercrime  Cybercrime involves the use of computers and networks to commit crimes. With the advancement in technology, computers can be used to commit crimes or to target victims. Criminals commit these offenses against groups or individuals with the motive of harming the victims' reputation intentionally, cause mental or physical harm either directly or indirectly. These criminal activities are aided by the use of modern telecommunication technology such as mobile phones and the internet. This type of crime can adversely affect the financial security of both the government and the private sector. Organizations, government and the citizens should enact appropriate security measures to mitigate the possibilities of becoming victims of cybercrime.  Cybercriminals have advanced their illegal activities, making it possible for them to be involved in various criminal activities such as hacking, child pornography, and copyright infringement. These illegal activit...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Write a Character Analysis | Essay Writing Tips

How to Write a Character Analysis First, you need to choose, which character you're going to analyze. I suggest you choose a character, who changes. If you have to write about Finding Nemo, (The Walt Disney story), then you might be tempted to choose Nemo, because, after all, the title has his name in it- he must be the main character. But, really, the character, who changes the most and who really goes on a journey, is the Father- Marlin, so he's the character best suited for a character analysis.  So, number one- choose a character, who changes! All right, now you've chosen which character to analyze, you're going to have to think of inferences. Let me give you an example of what I mean by that. Here's some…here's an inference down here, but let me start with this-“FACT: Marlin hovers”. We know (if you've watched this film) that Marlin is the dad and he hovers over his son and doesn't want to let him be independent and try new things or t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ethical Aspects of Cloning | Essay, Sample

  ETHICAL ASPECTS OF CLONING  Cloning refers to the somatic cell nuclear transfer that creates biological material that is genetically identical to the parent (Reeve, 2013). For instance, an organism or organ can be used to create genetically identical replicas. As such, the process of cloning creates a genetic duplicate. The discussion over whether there is any ethical justification for cloning is very polarizing. This is because many arguments have been advanced to support and reject cloning, particularly concerning the potential medical benefits and fate of the rejected clones. In this respect, the ethical debate is centered on what is to be done with excess clones and how they are disposed off (Morrison, 2013). Therefore, the subject of cloning generates a lot of ethical debates since it presents potential benefits as well as harm.  As earlier indicated, cloning involves the creation of replicas that are genetically identical to the parent. In this case...
Post a Comment
Read more