Industrialisation politicised the Working Class Essay Example

crucial for working class individuals to protect themselves. Unfortunately, most legislators were landlords resulting in a system that ground down the poor while factory owners prioritized profit over worker wellbeing and aristocrats owned much urban and industrial property. Laissez-faire policies enabled social mobility but left non-privileged individuals vulnerable to exploitation as employers relied on competitive market strategies involving exploiting workers who faced harsh living and working conditions similar to slavery which was abolished in England in 1807.The conditions that affected people and others faced caused significant anger. According to poet Robert Soothes, the factory system was worse than the slave trade. Regrettably, those working in factories had no representation or means to protest legally, leaving them powerless to change their circumstances. Factory owners needed to remain competitive, resulting in mechanization and a reduction of jobs for workers. Agricultural laborers were particularly disadvantaged during this era of struggle for the working class. This forced men to form illegal groups such as the Ululated, which conducted violent protests against factory owners by destroying expensive machinery and burning down mills. The reason behind this violent reaction was due to the loss of livelihoods for skilled and privileged workers as well as long-standing artisan traditions undergoing deterioration in status. In 1812, with the passing of the Frame-Breaking Act, the government sided with an increasingly powerful bourgeoisie.

Few arrests were made against those responsible for vandalism against factories and owners due to protection from local communities leading to some success for these groups.The event brought about class consciousness among workers who came together for mutual benefit.Henry Hunt spoke for reform in following decade.However,the "Petrol massacre" of 1819 had negative

consequences since it led to introduction of Six Acts aimed at suppressing radicalism .In 1830, William IV recognized the need for reform to prevent revolution and believed it should be controlled by parliament rather than enforced through revolt. However, factory workers were losing power and being compared to "mechanical figures" controlled by machines. Early attempts at destroying machinery occurred due to this loss of power. Since James Watt's discovery in 1764 of how to harness the power of steam, machines have become increasingly valuable while humans' marketable price has decreased. Today, machines perform tasks once done by many people, reducing humans to the level of machines and making them subservient. It is amazing that these machines seem almost human-like when compared to mechanized humans. Modern workers are at their machine's mercy as they dictate work hours, food-times, play-times while robbing wages and displacing fellow workers causing constant destitution threats which negatively affect worker character leading to changes observed by Owen in 1815.Angels shares this sentiment.Factory workers lose individuality becoming mere units instead of unique men,women,and children.The loss of identity among working class men, caused by mass unemployment and lack of representation in society, contributes to their desire for political representation. This feeling is further reinforced by the unfairness of being unrepresented which highlights class divisions and reinforces their powerless state. The Great Reform Act, which only applied to the middle class and was called The Great Whig Betrayal, divided the industrious classes' alliance leading to a sense of betrayal among working-class men despite years of protests. Skilled artisans who previously earned a good living were left starving. In 1833, the passing of the new Factory

Act provided some schooling while limiting children's working hours but widespread disregard occurred due to too few inspectors appointed to enforce laws. Despite this setback, it was still considered a step forward in workplace legislation as opposed to its predecessor in 1819 that lacked such provisions. Families in poverty evaded this act since all their children had to work for survival while by 1834, the new Poor Law punished poverty effectively.The working class, mostly poor and subject to enslavement or unemployment, were seen by society as undeserving of relief because of their able-bodied status. The London Working Men's Association established the Chartist movement in 1836 with the aim of achieving reform. During the 1839-42 depression, a formal Chartist petition was presented which highlighted issues relating to class consciousness and marked a shift towards a primarily working-class movement. The People's Charter failed along with two subsequent petitions, ultimately concluding the Chartist movement in 1848. Despite its lack of success, Chartists are considered to be "the most remediable working class movement in British history," implying that they influenced political beliefs among the working class. However, men did not gain voting rights until 1867 which led some to argue that true politicization could not have been achieved without this right.

Although industrialization played a part in politicizing the working class, it can also be argued that cheap labor facilitated by class divisions was responsible for this trend. The government's promise of economic freedom stood in contrast to reality where wealthier individuals and corporations caused many livelihoods among working-class men to be lost.If the working class had been given a platform to express their grievances at the start

of industrialization, it would not have been as financially lucrative. Unfortunately, their sacrifices were taken advantage of by the middle class which caused animosity and a yearning for change. However, despite feeling let down, the middle class played an important role in giving representation to the working class- a significant turning point in British governance. The tensions rose due to conflicts between different social classes. It is still unclear whether external factors influenced and changed the perspective of the working class or if they already possessed political awareness and consciousness that was only triggered by dire circumstances.