Economics of the Late Victorian Era Essay

The topic I have chosen to discuss related to the last 400 years in Western Civilization is the industrial revolution in Britain. The industrial revolution was what created the modern capitalist system. Britain was the first to lead the way in this huge transformation. Technology changed, businesses, manufactured goods, and wage laborers skyrocketed. There was not only an economic transformation, but also a social transformation. The industrial revolution is such an interesting subject to further explore, because it truly made a difference in Britain in the late 1700s. The industrial revolution brought an increased quantity and variety of manufactured goods and even improved the standard of living for some individuals, however, it resulted in grim employment and living conditions that were for the poor and working classes. The industrial revolution had a bright and dark side to it. It was dark due to all the horrible working conditions, crowded cities, unsanitary facilities, diseases, and unsafe work environment, but the bright side is that it was a period of enormous social progress.

Because of the rising change of social and industry they kind of caused friction towards political views. Miners and steelworkers were the first workers to use the strike ad a bargaining tool against their business owners.

The ensuing conflict, between labor vs. capital, during the late 1800s initiated a struggle of power in the workforce between the rich-industrialists (or corporate leaders) and the middle-class/lower-class workers. The Capitalists had intervened with the protests orchestrated by the workers, ensuring that the power remains with them. The strategies of the industrialists and the unique ways of protesting from the workers, contributes to spur a vigorous argument between the employers and their employees. The workers tried their best to ameliorate their working conditions by forming numerous unions, trying to fix currency (gold to paper) to economically help themselves, refusing to go to work, resorting to violence and non-violence, etc. However, the Corporate leaders kept an upper hand and dissolved the workers’ ambitions by hiring scabs, creating a strong relationship with the military (Pullman strike), controlling and fixing policies at work, hiring immigrants for cheap labor, etc. Throughout the late 1800s, the corporate leaders have been able to successfully prevent workers who had resorted to: forming unions, protests (ex. Pullman strike and Homestead strike), violence (ex. Haymarket Sq. Riot), etc., from achieving a radical solution to the workers issues with the management by using several different strategies including but not limited to: hiring scabs/immigrants in the Homestead strike, using government support in the Pullman strike and keeping the power on their side

Unlike upper class they did not necessarily inherit their money but earned it off their own hard work. They could afford their own town house and servants to run the household. Over time these class of people grew more influential and eventually gained the right to vote in 1832. They were below the aristocracy but above the workers.

The Working class that made up around 80% of society had little or no bargaining power with their employers resulting in the continuation of unfair working hours, bad wages, and unsanitary and hazardous working conditions. The workers could not even fight for their rights in the political system as only the rich were eligible to vote.

The upper, middle, and lower class. The upper class streamed from the aristocrats of earlier time periods. The middle and lower classes were the working classes. The middle class however had jobs with better pay, a better standard of living ,and better sanitation then the lower class but still had struggles with day to day necessities. The lower class were very poor and had difficult lives. Many children worked in the lower class. This relates to A Brave New World as the lower classes were not focused on in society very often, and had difficult jobs and less access to resources from their conception, this caused the lower classes to in general have low

Labor unrest came to a head in 1919 when workers began to protest in response to the difficulties caused bydemobilization. Workers went on strike

upper class consisted of wealthy and well educated minor aristocrats they could vote and they held high public office

The following class, which was by far the largest, was the middle class. (Population and Social Rank) This included owners of small stores and businesses, small farmers, and craftsmen. (1727: Colonial America) They were mostly educated, and lived successful lives. They also had very high moral standards and some were deeply religious. (Population and Social Rank) Most middle class men could vote, but few held public office, as the gentry used their wealth and influence for political control. Middle class women ran self-sufficient households, and made their own clothes, candles, cheese and soap. Few were educated. (1727: Colonial America)

They opposed increasing use of machines because it affected their job opportunities in adverse ways. Industrial workers usually worked a twelve-hour day and were paid very little. Also, factories preserved poor health and safety conditions (Tindall, 644). Industry owners started firing workers when the use of machines in industries started increasing. Interests of industrial workers were severely and adversely affected which made them angry and dissatisfied. They found that industrialization was against their interests, and they decided to oppose it in every possible

The early 19th century had already marked an advent in a change of lifestyle by the switching self-sufficient economies to industrialized. However, the end of Civil War brought focus on establishing corporations to maximize profits of industry owners. This created destructive tremors in the life of working class people like the addition of more strata in the realm of industry drained them of their rightful wealth. Several sources talk about these grievances, but we will mainly focus on two: “The Cowboy Strike of 1883” by Robert Zeigler and “Populist Party Platform” by Ignatius Donnelly.

The lower class consisted primarily of Native Americans, African Americans, and impoverished whites. Author, Howard Zinn revealed many examples that showed the congregation of lower class individuals, in spite of their differences “ In spite of such seventeenth century, there is evidence that where whites and blacks found themselves with common problems, common work, common enemy in their master, they behaved toward one another as equals. As one scholar of slavery, Kenneth Stampp, has put it, Negro and white servants of the seventeenth century were “remarkably unconcerned about the visible physical differences” (Zinn 68).When it came down to real talk, the lower class rose above their differences and worked together to achieve one common goal, freedom. However, the upper class knew they wouldn't be able to withhold all the power with the lower class citizens joining forces. The upperclass attempted to divide the lower class by the separation of race, sexuality, and wars and ideas of war. In between this conflict lied the middle class, who struggled to chose, as they were tempted by the upper class wealth. Although early settlers envisioned a country of liberty and equality, the upper class used their wealth and power to obstruct the lower class from achieving complete freedom, which lead to the oppression of lower class individuals.

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times” (Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities).Victorian England was a melting pot of both good times and bad times. Some people experienced good, while others experienced bad. During the Victorian Era, mainly the wealthy experienced good times, while the poor experienced poor times. As reflected in contrasting Victorian paintings, literature, and historical accounts, Victorian England was a time of great prosperity for the wealthy few but a time of constant hardship for many poor.

Even with a smaller percentage of the population involved in agricultural labor, Britain at the time was still a nation highly aware of class, and the wide gaps between the socio-economic groupings. Previously, the aristocracy maintained the largest swaths of land, and thus primary control of monetary gains. A new middle-class was allowing for social mobility in greater numbers, especially with the growing group of manufacturers and factory owners. This created an expanded category of people, those not born within the upper echelons of British society, but willing to gain

The Victorian Age's morality also condemned any kind of sexual reference in literature. Victorian critics demanded from "serious" literature a didactic content and respect to the Victorian conventions which established that sex