Good evening. I am the Prime Minister of Great Britain. I am here today to address you all regarding the current “state of the world” in terms of industrialization. Industrialization is defined as the development of industry of a massive scale. I would like to first start by explaining how industrialization came to be. Like many other movements seen throughout history, it can be traced directly back to agriculture. Advancements in agricultural techniques such as the use of large farms and fertilizer were both originated by the Dutch. Great Britain also led to advancements in the field by determining that different types of soil can foster different types of plants more effectively and that planting crops in specific orders can yield a greater result.
The technology used in the field of agriculture also advanced. Jethro Tull of Great Britain invented the seed drill; a device that exponentially increased the speeds at which fields could be planted. Another new practice that increased farm productivity was the circulation of farm journals. Farmers now had the ability to learn about what techniques worked, meaning they no longer had to experiment on their own. All of these new methods and technologies used together meant that more food was produced, which caused a large population boom. This surplus of people needed jobs, which meant that there was a workforce available.
While technological advancements were plentiful in the field of agriculture, they were not limited to it. New forms of energy such as steam and coal allowed for new forms of transportation. Thomas Newcomen invented the original steam engine, which was later improved upon by James Watt. The process of smelting iron is improved upon by Abraham Darby. All of these advancements allowed industrialization to begin.
The Essay on Great Depression 11
The Great Depression took place from 1930 to 1939. During this time the prices of stock fell 40%. 9,000 banks went out of business and 9 million savings accounts were wiped out. 86,000 businesses failed, and wages were decreased by an average of 60%. The unemployment rate went from 9% all the way to 25%, about 15 million jobless Economic Indicators of the Great Depression Indicator 1928 1929 1930 ...
The effects of industrialization are truly a double edged sword. While there are positives, there are just as many negatives. However, those problems are fixable. One of the major benefits of industrialization is the creation of jobs. The massive amounts of people caused by the advancements in agriculture need jobs if they want to survive. The creation of factories due to industrialization provides these people with the opportunity to have a job. Another benefit is the production of cheap mass produced goods. Owning clothing that was not hand made by either you or someone in your family is no longer restricted to people with money to spare.
Clothing is now produced cheaply so that they can be bought by more people. Yet another benefit of industrialization is the advancements made in transportation. Without the need to transport mass amounts of goods created in factories, George Stephenson would not have created the steam locomotive, and Robert Fulton would not have created the steam ship. New forms of communication have also been developed out of needs caused by industrialization. Samuel Morse invented the telegraph, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, and Guglielmo Marconi invented the radio. None of those three inventions would be in existence had it not been for industrialization.
As I said earlier, the positives created are accompanied by negatives. While factories provide those needing jobs with jobs, they work long hours in unsafe conditions for miniscule pay. Not only that, but these workers face the constant threat of unemployment. The wages earned by workers are so low that children as young as five years old often have to work in factories to help support their families. Life does not get much better for these workers when the work day ends, as the many members of the working class live in harsh living conditions called slums. Whole families can sometimes be crammed into a single room.
The Essay on Industrialization And Urbanization On Families In The Half Of The 19th Century
... is now a symbol of love happiness and family; people could afford to have children without the need of sending them to work; ... layoffs had to take place. Despite all the harmful effects industrialization had on the working class, the one thing that did ... Children and women also worked and for much less than man so factory owners preferred to hired them whenever they could. Their jobs ...
While the problems are abundant, they can be fixed. Factory reforms that ensure safer working conditions, shorter hours, and higher wages can help to abolish these problems. If workers have higher wages, then they can afford to live in better housing then slums. In addition, if families are making more money, they would no longer have to send their children to work in factories. Children would once again be allowed to be children.
While we are already feeling the impacts of industrialization, I believe that they will extend far into the future. While factories currently produce a limited amount of things, I believe someday that almost all goods will be mass produced in factories. While the discovery of using coal and steam for energy is revolutionary, I believe that more sources of energy will be discovered that will be even more powerful. These new forms of energy might lead to other advancements, such as in transportation or communication. Maybe someday humans will be able to soar like birds. Perhaps one day we will be able to see someone when we are talking to them, no matter how far apart we are. The possibilities are seemingly endless.
