Industrial Revolutions 2 Owner and Owned Before the mid 18th Century o England was almost entirely rural agricultural But then came the change o England begins to become the commercial empire Increasing demand for English exports Cloth in particular o Problem of demand vs supply Supply spinsters 3 5 weavers per weaver o Increase supply through more and more machinery eventually water powered puts original suppliers out of work as well farmers and farmworkers replaced by enclosure England clearances Scotland producing large class of unemployed some migrate to English speaking colonies and countries others move to cities to work in mills old rich landowners but form the middle ages we see beginnings of wealth based upon trade o merchants o guildsmen the old landowners are in the upper house of parliament lords higher house but the new wealthy are initially in the commons lower house 1780 s onward New Wealthy Class Industrialists o Owners of Mills o Investors Begin in commons but in the latter 19 th century some get into class of lords The now unemployed came from the rural agricultural world o Before Lived by the seasons Outdoor work Food grown and made at home o After By Clock Indoor 12 and fourteen hours 6 days per week imported from who knows where Water well best not to ask In the 1830 s and on Liberals in parliament began to investigate working conditions an do press for change though government reports bluebooks 1933 Factory Act 1842 Mines Act o Moderate attempts to improve working conditions and parliament in hands of industrialist o Workers had great difficulty banding together and resisting it 1796 Combination Act o Forbade organizing Even after repeal o Repression norm Labor in Britain very slowly gains ground 1819 Manchester o Peter loo massacre o Labor will continue struggle as industrialization grows throughout Western Europe and the U S o But more to come in future lectures
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