The industrial development of the United Kingdom, the United States, and other European countries between 1760 and 1840 is known as the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution began with the emergence of machinery for a number of manufacturing industries that had hitherto operated using human labour.
A number of advanced machines, such as weaving machines, locomotives, and iron smelting machines, were developed at that time, and new factories sprang up in every nook and corner of the above countries.
As a result, thousands of people who until then had been engaged in farming and other self-employment in rural areas migrated to urban areas in search of employment in factories.
With the Industrial Revolution, the economies of those countries developed significantly and new employment opportunities arose in large numbers. In addition to such positive consequences, the Industrial Revolution has also had a number of negative consequences in many areas. This article is about some of the adverse effects of the Industrial Revolution.
Suitable houses
Many parts of the United Kingdom, the United States, and other European countries became urbanised with the Industrial Revolution, and those areas did not have adequate and suitable housing for immigrants from other remote areas.
In 1830 a study by Dr. William Henry Duncan, a public health officer in Liverpool, England, revealed that about one-third of the population lived in small houses or rooms with mud floors at that time. The ventilation in those houses was minimal and the sanitation facilities were non-existent. In some areas more than 15 people are said to have stayed in a small room, all of them using the same toilet. Also, due to the lack of clean water and the constant overflow of drainage systems, a large number of people have fallen victim to epidemics such as cholera and so on.
James Phillips, a physiotherapist who studied the living conditions of the workers at the cotton mills in Manchester, England, in 1832, elaborated on their diet. He said that the breakfast of low-paid employees was often a piece of bread with a cup of tea or coffee. Their lunch was a few slices of boiled potatoes, butter or bacon. After work some employees drank a cup of tea or coffee again and ate a piece of bread, potatoes or some oatmeal for dinner. Philips’ study had revealed that they often suffered from stomach aches due to lack of proper nutrition and their body looked pale.
Workers who came from faraway places to work in factories had to adapt to a very difficult lifestyle. They had to report to work as soon as they heard the factory horn, and if there was a slight delay, they would not receive their day’s pay.
Many difficulties
Even more unfortunate is the fact that some employees who reported for work late also had to pay a fine. They also had to face many difficulties while working. Employees were not allowed to rest for a while until someone else arrived, as they were not allowed to turn off the machinery. Furthermore, those who were engaged in agricultural activities as they wished earlier, had to work under a number of work inspectors and the work inspectors treated the employees with no respect.
The work in the factories was so difficult that the books on the Industrial Revolution stated that workers did not have the energy to do any other work after completing one shift.
Another detrimental consequence of the Industrial Revolution was the dangerous workplace.
The book ‘Changing Hands’, which contains a lot of information about the Industrial Revolution, states that many people who worked in factories at that time lost their hands and fingers due to being exposed to machinery.
Crushed
A contemporary newspaper report said that in 1830, a factory worker’s hand was caught in a machine and all his fingers were crushed. He did not die in the accident but later succumbed to his injuries. In addition, people who worked in the coal mines were reportedly frequently injured and killed in accidents such as gas explosions.
Although child labour had been practised since before the Industrial Revolution, large-scale exploitation of child labour began with the Industrial Revolution. Street children and children from poor families living in the United Kingdom, the United States, and other European countries were employed in this way and had to work long hours. As a result, they lost the opportunity to get an education. It is unfortunate that even young children had to engage in the difficult and dangerous jobs that were meant for adults.
The period from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution to the present can be described as a period of extreme discrimination based on sexuality that has existed for centuries.
Child labour
At the time of the Industrial Revolution, female factory workers were paid only half of what male workers were paid. The reason for this was the prevailing view in society that women worked not to support their families but to buy what they needed such as cosmetics.
Another catastrophic consequence of the Industrial Revolution was large-scale environmental pollution. Many factories at the time operated on coal, and air pollution was rapidly increased by the smoke from burning coal. As a result, many people suffered from respiratory problems, wrote author Hugh Miller.
Large numbers of people have died in areas where coal burning was high. In addition, the burning of fossil fuels caused large amounts of carbon to be released into the atmosphere. The damage to the environment at the time was so great that a study by a group of experts in 2016 showed that climate change caused by human activity began in the 1830s.