The industrial revolution was a period that begun in 1750 and set in motion the myriad of industries that would underpin the revolution. Manufacturing and processing became a preeminent activity during this period and in the process granting individuals employment opportunities. The manufacturing plants and industries in there increased the demand for labor, and this led to the uptake of children and women into the workforce.
This approach resulted in far-reaching effects on the society. For the rural families, urbanization and industrialization created a myriad of problems. For instance, it resulted in an elevated occurrence of parental defiance from young women. For once, historians agree to the fact that the period between 1750 and 1850 saw an increase in the number of children who were born out of wedlock. This did give rise to the question of whether the industrial revolution had played in role in the ensuing sexual revolution.
Before the industrial revolution begun, work was done for survival. However, for women, children and men, tasks were differentiated based on age and gender. A number of scholars argued from different perspectives regarding the issue. A number of then argued for the role that the sexual revolution had in the sexual revolution.
Edward Shorter, for instance, asserts that the spontaneous change resulted in an increased illegitimacy rate. According to Shorter, this occurred as a result of the opportunities that women were offered outside the home environment which made them more independent. For another group of authors like Louise A. Tilly, Joan W. Scott, and Miriam Cohen, that the illegitimacy did not arise out of the new opportunities of the industrial age, but they did accrue from the breakdown of tradition and lack of a support system the broken tradition.
They argued that the industrial workforce that incorporated women was only because of the necessity to supplement the family incomes. The focus of this paper will be on the analysis of both sides of the argument in relation to the role of the industrial revolution in the sexual revolution.
For Edward Shorter, the radical changes within the family unit began right from the onset of the eighteenth century. The changes were depicted by the shift of the status of women from dependency and powerlessness to independence. He goes on to point out that the traditional society had held man as supreme over the woman in a household. However, her independence caused the disregard of her stature and role in society. From his perspective, women had three distinct dimensions of capitalism. The first dimension was that it gave rise to a subculture that weakened the female sexual values.
The second one was that women began to view intercourse as a personality development and the third involved the removal of female sexual emancipation. These effects of capitalism on women are used by Shorter to define women benefited from their advancement and growth. He brings out the concept of how women wanted a more dominant position in the society and had gotten tired of the decision-making role of men.
For Edward, women were ready to engage in short-term and long-term relations before marriage because of the newfound freedom that they enjoyed from traditional life before the onset of industries. The sense of liberation from the rural life fueled their newfound freedom of expression and exploration. The job opportunities that had been created by the industries created a sense of individuality among the women and made them more self-reliant.
Their attitudes changed even as they became more self-seeking. The women, according to Edward, rebelled against the traditional limitations in search of fulfillment and pleasure. Considering that era was also characterized by the absence of birth control, the effect was an increased number of children being born out of wedlock.
This argument can be backed by the fact that upon the discovery of the birth control pill towards the end of the 19th century, fertility rates reduced sharply. Edward’s perspective is important in bringing out the relationship between fertility changes and economic and social experiences by women. His views are, however, misguided to the extent that he argues that women took to working in industries primarily for individual fulfillment and independence.
In this regard, Tilly, Scott, and Cohen argued that the premarital relationships came about as a result of the desire that women had for marriage despite the harsh economic conditions. To them, these relationships highlighted how the urban life had failed to impact on women and their roles and duties in the society.
Women agitated not only for household domination but also for a chance to be able to make their own decisions. Financial independence came with the freedom of choice for women. Once they realized that they could fend for themselves, women often to abstain from the familial ties of marriage. From the perspective of women, entrance into the workforce was not driven by their need to be independent, but rather arose from the need to support their families.
The employment opportunity, in turn, provided them with incomes that enhanced their status within the family unit. The essay by Shorter was dismantled in their argument that women were not trying to fulfill their sexual desires by becoming independent, but only seeking to support their families. The hardships and economic turmoil that the country experienced forced women into jobs. The newfound role meant that women had to spend most of the time in the workplace environment.
The sexual revolution according to the women accrued from the abolition of traditions. The economic hardships that families were undergoing forced for every single member of the family to contribute to earning a living. From a very early age, women begun to work and this would create the value of independence in them. To Tilly, Scott, and Cohen, the increased incidence of illegitimacy was as a result of the economic needs of women.
The ability to cater to the needs of the children and themselves accorded women ability to become independent. This independence, however, came at a detriment to the society. The increase of single families became a norm within the society. Another aspect that has to be put into consideration is the cost that would be incurred in conducting decent marriages.
Even as working couples aspired to get married, most of them were discouraged by the cost of the weddings and marriage and in view of the economic hardships that most families were endearing. Female emancipation in regards to equal employment opportunities, rights and freedoms saw the increased incidence of a sexual revolution. The fight for equal rights in the industries was the onset of the struggle for women to attain equality in society.
The key component that can be deduced from the arguments of the role of the industrial revolution on sexual revolution is the aspect of social structures. The employment opportunities that were granted to women fueled the restructuring of the social system. Women began to realize the importance of their rights. They fought for this emancipation and in the process revolutionized their status.
The sexual revolution, as it was known, was a depiction of the strength and independence that a woman gained during the industrial age. Looking at the contemporary society, the issues of sexual revolution still resonates and makes the debate very much viable. The current society still grappling with the increased divorce rates and single parent families. Some of the issues that are mentioned as being the causatives still revolve around the independence of the woman.
The passage of time has seen the evolution of the role of women in society. Equality has been granted to all genders, and the rights of women are enshrined within the constitution over the years. For women, the status within the family and society has been reinvented. The challenges, however, arise in the form of social problems like single parenthood and divorces.
Women have also become breadwinners in households and some of them earning much more than their male counterparts. A new component has been introduced in the current society. Technology has further revolutionized the social structure allowing women to participate in activities and duties that were previously male-dominated.
The arguments posed by the opposing sides indicate a level of impact in relation to the relationship between the industrial revolution and sexual revolution. For one part, the women from poor families desired to change the status of their families and thus took up jobs in the industries. It is also evident that the newfound freedoms and jobs granted the women a sense of liberation.
Bibliography
Shorter, Edward. "Female emancipation, birth control, and fertility in European history." The American Historical Review 78, no. 3 (1973): 605-640.
Tilly, Louise A., Joan W. Scott, and Miriam Cohen. "Women's work and European fertility patterns." The journal of interdisciplinary history 6, no. 3 (1976): 447-476.
