Living and Working Conditions

Living and Working Conditions

The Industrial Revolution

New Classes New Middle Class

› Those who hold and invest capital› Industrial entrepreneurs, merchants,

professionals etc. Working Class

› Those who work in order to obtain capital› Wage labourers› Dependant on the daily wage in order to

survive

Growth of Cities Great numbers of people moving into the

city Need to find work and housing Workers need/want to live close to work

› Homes and factories being built in close proximity to each other› All workers of a specific trade lived together

Ex. Mining towns

Living Conditions of the Working Class

Working class separated from the middle class

Barren› Could not afford luxuries or sometimes even necessities

Overcrowded› Numerous families living in one bedroom

8-10 people

Living Conditions of the Working Class

Morals› Appropriate for married couples and

siblings to share a room› Inappropriate for both sexes to share a

room if they have no relationship to each other Overcrowded housing caused this

Who’s fault is it that the working class is so ‘immoral’?

Working Conditions

Family wage economy› Entire families working

Couples work with their children Older children can contribute to family wage

or go off on his/her own› All family members have economic

freedom Changes family dynamics

Improved or Damaged? Did industrialization improve or

damage the lives of ordinary people?

Improved or Damaged? No

› About 50% of all children of working families die before the age of 5

› Long work hours (17 hours)› Rapid pace of work› Living and working conditions

Dangerous, crowded and unsanitary

Improved or Damaged? Yes

› Higher life expectancy› Economic freedom for women› Growing independence for young people