The industrial economy was significant in that it precipitated the world's improvement in economic productivity. Before the industrial economy, many people were nomadic pastoralists, and they majorly practiced animal husbandry and agriculture. The Industrial economy started in the 1700s and ended in 1800s. This was an experienced to the European countries and other countries all over the world. The industrial revolution was significant in that it extended life, improve the material wealth and also resulted in powerful social change. The centuries-old class structure in Europe was undermined and reorganized to provide philosophical worldview of the West. Before the industrial revolution, the economies of most countries were static and based majorly on the privileges associated with them. Leadership was aristocratic, and the most powerful people were given the opportunity lead the social groups. The ownership was a means of production and majorly consisted of the lands and millers that were used to transformed crops into processed food and other by-products. The peasantry class primarily till in the agricultural farms to produce the industrial crops that could be processed into readily consumed food. These peasant farmers were at the bottom of the society, and they were majorly looked down upon by other social groups. They worked in the noble farms and also in the industrial millers. During their holidays, these peasant farmers could work on their farms, and they farm products to supplement the industrial crops. The lives of these peasants were dictated by the seasons and the decision of the landowners towards the direction of their farms. The Lord whom the peasants worked for possessed the right to impose the tax that resulted in increasing the number of labor days for the peasants to meet the tax imposed. As the peasants did not have the financial resources to pay the tax, they were forced to repair the roads, windmills, dams, and canals.
The artisans were above the peasants, and they were considered as highly skilled craftsmen. These craftsmen could produce such items as preindustrial world utensils. They were also considered important as they had more control over the peasants and their destiny. They were given authority by the society to form professional organizations that were primarily known as guilds. Furthermore, the craftsmen also controlled the prices, standards, and wages. The guilds organizations were regarded as social welfare that had the responsibility of looking for other people from different backgrounds to form the guild organization.
The merchants were above the craftsmen, and they were regarded as emerging, an economic and politically powerful group in the pre-industrial society. Furthermore, this group was considered highly vibrant group among other social groups in the society. The merchants were hardworking people in the society, and they made their money by moving goods and services across the economic systems in the society. They were considered as urban classes since they majorly dwelled in urban areas. They were thus guaranteed the political and economic autonomy in the society.
During the industrial revolution of the 1830-1914, women were regarded as peasant farmers and the industrial revolution had adverse effects on the economic and political backgrounds of such women. These women were depended by the society to carry out the farming activities that in turn produced the industrial crops. Initially, they used to till large tracks of land which were considered open fields. However, during the industrial revolution, the farms were changed into enclosure system, and farmers were required to enclose their farms and grow particular crops during specified periods. The methods of farming affected women negatively. They were required to use mechanized farming and because they were not economically endowed, they were unable to service their farms. They were in turn affected by the poverty since they could raise more money as before when could trade their farm produce within and outside their communities. The Malthusian effect was also felt in the region as there were increased number of people. The most affected group by the increased population were peasant farmers. The famine that reemerged as a result of industrial revolution made women leave their homes and go for paid jobs from outside the society. They end up working in industries such as the cotton ginnery and other industries. In the industries, they were forced to execute hot tasks and thus they became less productive in the process. The hot jobs in the industries weakened them, and they were unable to bear children which in turn made their husbands divorced them. Because they were working for longer hours in the industries, they had minimal time to meet with their husbands, and this further undermined the bond between these women and their husbands.
The industrial economy was also significant to married and single women. They went to search for jobs in the industries to support their families as majority of the pleasantry women were living in poverty. Many of them took the advantage of the opportunity without knowing the side effects of the industrial revolution. The industrial economy of 1830 to 1914 post more negative impacts than positive on the peasant women. Even though they were employed to work in industries, the working conditions were unsanitary, and they were normally given low wages. But for some women, the industrial revolution proved beneficial as it improved their standards of living. They also took the opportunity advantageously as the wages they were paid made them financially independent unlike before where they were majorly depending on their husbands for financial assistance.
The majority of the women found work in textile industries and domestic services while others were employed to work in coal mines. The working conditions in the industries were so poor and contracting diseases was possible. The workers in the industries were so packed, and the diseases such as flues could easily spread. If for example, one person worked into the working place with the flu, all the people in such a place would be affected. Furthermore, other public places and the bathrooms were so filthy that one could easily contract a disease.
The peasant women who were divorced by their husbands eventually resorted to immorality. They engage in sexual activities with the male workers in the industries where these women worked. As the industrial economy continued in the Western European, sexual activities were viewed as a way of getting money by women. The peasant women who saw farming as unproductive resorted to this kind of activity since those who had engaged in it praised it as a lucrative business and could easily provide massive amounts of money for them, unlike the peasant farming. As a result of immoral activities, sexually transmitted diseases emerged.
The gender division that lingered in the society during that period deprived women of their rights. Women were rarely given leadership positions. Other important jobs such as political positions and business executive positions were considered men positions, and thus, no woman could be appointed to such posts. As a result of this division, women faced hardships in their lives. They also faced danger in the working conditions since they worked in dangerous and stressful positions.
The new policies and regulations that were required for one to work in the industries barred women from being absorbed into the industrial jobs. Those who were required to work in industries were required to have specific skills such as the craftsmen expertise and experience. Most of the women during that period did not have artists skills as most of them were peasant farmers. Furthermore, majority of the highly paid positions required skills and experience which women during that period did not have. They were thus given hot jobs that required a lot of effort. Ricardo through his theory reported that the industrial economy benefited men more than women. According to him, it was necessary for economic developers and policy makers to come with equality policies for all.
However, not all women faced the same challenges as a result of the industrial revolution. A small number of them were selected to work as middle-class women and were able to receive the collar white jobs. They were given such jobs as telephone operators, serving in health and other social services center and also being secretaries. These jobs proved to be beneficial for them since the wages they received were higher than those working in hot jobs. The wages also enabled them to improve their lifestyles. The wages they received were also felt in the society as they used them to buy goods and services from their given communities. Furthermore, they were also able to support their families and their lives also improved.
Cotton farming was also viewed as a job majorly that suited women. It provided employment majorly for women as the industrial economy led to huge demand for cotton to produce cotton related products. Those peasant women who resorted to commercial farming reasonably became wealthy and some of them even started large-scale farming on cotton growing, and they were able to employ other women to plug cotton. They increased their earnings, and they were also seen as important since they led to the creation of employment not only for their fellow women but also for other people in the society.
After the International bodies had conducted researched on the effects of industrial revolution on women, they found out that women were negatively affected unlike their male counterparts and thus they recommended some measures to be introduced to improve the working conditions of such women. They also recommended that more people including women should be allowed to enter the world of the industry so as to attain the financial freedom.
Conclusively, the industrial economy from 1830 to 1914 was economically significant even though it brought negative impacts on the Western European women. Majority of the women who seek for employment in the industries were mistreated, and they received meagre salary even though they engaged in hot jobs. The working conditions were poor, and thus, women could easily contract diseases. Due to the industrial economy, most of the women also engaged in immoral activities such as commercial sex as an alternative way of acquiring money. However, not all women were faced with challenges as some of them were employed in white color jobs and given good salary.
Bibliography
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Frader, Laura Levine, and Sonya O. Rose, eds. Gender and class in modern Europe. Cornell University Press, 2006.
Hiscox, Michael J. "Class versus industry cleavages: inter-industry factor mobility and the politics of trade." International Organization 55, no. 01 (2001): 1-46.
Katznelson, Ira, and Aristide R. Zolberg. Working-class formation: Nineteenth-century patterns in Western Europe and the United States. Princeton University Press, 2006.
