Industrial Revolution: Impacts on Social Hierarchies and Standards of Living

Rise of New Social Classes

• Industrial Working Class:

  • Composed mainly of factory workers and miners.
  • Large influx from rural areas due to mechanization of agriculture.
  • Performed unskilled labor; were seen as interchangeable by factory managers.
  • Benefits included higher wages than rural jobs, but faced dangers, poor living conditions, and repetitive work.

• Middle Class:

  • Included factory owners, managers, and white-collar workers (lawyers, doctors, teachers).
  • Benefited most from industrialization, with cushy lives and access to manufactured products.
  • Viewed as having ascended through ingenuity and effort; those who didn't rise were seen as lazy.

• Industrialists (Captains of Industry):

  • At the top of the social hierarchy.
  • Gained wealth and power surpassing the traditional aristocracy through ownership of large industrial corporations.

Impact on Women and Children

• Working-Class Women:

  • Worked wage-earning jobs in factories alongside men.
  • Children, as young as five, worked in factories and mines.
  • Government later intervened to remove children from hazardous work and promote education.

• Middle-Class Women:

  • Generally did not work; focused on domestic roles and creating a nurturing home environment.

Challenges of the Industrial Age

• Rapid Urbanization Issues:

  • Pollution from coal smoke and waste led to health problems.
  • London's water pollution and 'The Great Stink'.

• Housing Shortages:

  • Overcrowded tenements with poor ventilation and sanitation.
  • Spread of diseases like typhoid and cholera.

• Increased Crime:

  • Rise in theft and violent crime, often linked to higher alcohol consumption.

Note: The lecture ended with a call to action for further study and review resources.