Working conditions Flashcards
What does Asa Briggs say about the new industrial town and factory?
They became the new social insttutions, demandiing new forms of behaviour and creating new attitudes. Seasonal, irregular work had given way to far more disciplined work
What differing views do historians tend to have on the social impact of industrialisation?
Some think working conditions for ordinary people worsened, whereas others thnk that things had been just as hard under the old domestic system
What view does Asa Briggs take on the social impact of industrialisation?
Takes the view that the adaptation to the rigid new routine was a necessary one, despite being harsh and unpalatable for most workers. He suggests that the higher wages paid in factories compared to under the old domestic system helped to offset some of the tougher conditions.
Define paternalistic
Taking on the role of a father, but in this context the attitude of a well-meaning boss, whose supervision could be regarded as too interfering
Describe the New Lanark Mills
The workforce there was treated well by the standards of the day. Many of the children were orphans. They were fed, clothed, given physical exercise and taught to read via the enlightened initiative. The owner hoped other owners would copy his ideas
What were factories built to accommodate?
Machines rather than men
Why did labourers resent the owner, even if he was paternalistic?
Because he was still making a profit off the back of their labour
What does Plumb say some resentful workers did?
Attacked and destroyed machinery, with consequences that were terrible for them and their families
Describe the terrible working conditions of the time
- Factories were severaal stories high
- Factories took little account for the comfort of the workforce
- In cotton mills it was necessary to maintain a humid temperature to stop the threads from snapping, meaning there was little ventilation. The result was that workers were prone to lung infections.
- There were no safety regulations in place
- The machines had no safety guards. This resulted in terrible accidents if workers got their fingers or hair stuck in the machines
- There was a high risk of fire, as early machines had wooden frames
- Discipline was harsh and workers were fined for lateness or slowness
- A system of shift work was put in place to allow the machines to run 24 hours a day in order to ensure maximum profit fot the owner
- Shifts were usually 12 hours long and the working week was six days
- The pace was restless and workers had to keep to a strict timetable
- Factory work lacked th efreedom and flexibility of small domestic enterprises or working on the land
What % of workers were children
20, sometimes as young as 6
Why did women and children make up the majority of the workforce in the cotton factories?
Because they were cheaper to pay and easier to discipline
How much more did men earn than women and children?
2x more than women and 10x more than children
There was no allowance or compensation for what?
Sickness or injuries sustained at work
What does Asa Briggs say the factory system did to child labour?
Put it under the spotlight at a time where the number of children in the population was rapidly rising
