Industrializing Canada (1850-1890)
Introduction
The queries concerning the effects of early industrialization on the distribution of wealth and income are central to economic and social history. The past experiences provide stories of the changing actions and conditions of the working people in Canada. Most adults in the country today earn a living in the form of salaries and wages sharing the terms of the working class society in Industrial Canada. The development of organized job conditions cannot be evaluated without considering the unions or organizations that pursued objectives designed to benefit employees (Heron, 2014). Child labor also played a vital role in ushering in the new economy of industrialization in the nation. It reached its highest levels in the 19th century with the help of immigrant children from various aid communities. The kids were mistreated by their employers. The adults also did not fall short of the cruelty from their bosses. The labor community obtained cohesiveness with the establishment of unions such as the Canadian Labor Union, Knights of Labor, amongst others. Before the 19th century came to an end, the employment question had acquired recognition documenting sweeping impacts on the industrialization of Canada.
The era of the 1830s experienced a capitalistic crisis that dispossessed most of the employees in Canada. The period was filled with financial downturns that contained short durations of economic prosperity. The 1830s exhibited continuous crises, political turmoil, and economic dislocation. The Hungry Forties had prominent depressions that lasted for years. The 1880s were considered the pre-World War 1 years that were blanketed by a recessionary dip in the entrepreneurial cycle that went ahead until the 20th century. Strikes became usual aspects in the capitalist era with the workers feeling that their rights had been violated in all manner of ways. The strikes were an explicit expression of a social query, and a means to obtain power for the organizations and the working class (Heron, 2014).
The craft unions created local assemblies for the skilled laborers to present their plights and forge ties with international firms. In 1872, the workers in the industrial towns in Ontario and Montreal rallied a movement that took place for 9 hours that sought to reduce the number of job hours from 12 to 9. Various ambitious craft unions rose up to protect the interests of the skilled employees such as the Labor and Trade Congress of Canada and the Provincial Workmen’s Association. Most workers were poor with their lives being dominated by the economic struggle to obtain shelter, clothing, and food. The craft unions were considered the most aggressive organizers who secured the better working conditions, wages, processes, and the training of the skilled employees (Rouillard, 2014).
Even though the craft unions were legal, they did not possess adequate rights under the law. The employers were allowed to terminate the employment of the laborers in the unions, and they could opt not to recognize the organizations. During strikes, they would ask the government to send the militia to maintain law and order. It is for these reasons that the craft unions were determined to safeguard the skilled laborers and ensure that they were favored by the economic trends in the country. The firms also controlled the number of individuals who joined the skilled employment categories. Regardless of the distinction that craft unions strived to create, they still provided numerous benefits to the skilled employees. They enforced a capitalistic society where some prevailed over others (Heron, 2014).
The Knights of Labor
The organization came to unite the skilled and unskilled workers under one front. The crafts union had singled out the unskilled employees. Hence, the knights of labor saw it fit to incorporate the workers who had been left out by the crafts union. The firm saw that the labor movement has been divided by the crafts association hampering the efforts and force of the workers to obtain fundamental rights. The knights of labor were considered the most important union in the era of industrialization in Canada. They organized most assemblies and had more members than the crafts union. The association was regarded as an industrial organization that brought together all the workers regardless of their specialization, sex, or race. As the strongest firm in BC, Quebec, and Ontario, the knights believed in social and economic democracy firmly. They were influential in developing the industrial community (Canadian Museum of History, n.d.).
With such a unified front, it was no shock that the knights of labor grew so quickly. They provided a common bargaining organization that aired the needs of all workers. They did not have any blacklist employees like the crafts union. According to Canadian Museum of History (n.d.), the knights advocated for industries that were operated and owned by the workers themselves. They saw cooperation as the appropriate alternative to the inequalities and competition in the capitalist society. The leaders of the organization such as Thomas Thompson and A.W. Wright declared that the competitive system under which the Canadian employees worked was nothing but a form of industrial slavery. The cooperation signified various elements to different people and the aspect led to the ultimate failure of the knights of labor Kealey, G. S. (2015).
The Opposition of Knights of Labor by the Crafts Union
Since the two firms represented different ideologies, it is clear why they would oppose each other’s ideologies. The crafts union and the knights of labor were two organizations that were determined to represent the requirements of the workers during the industrialization period. They both wanted the power to control more people; hence, the phenomenon sparked a sense of antagonism that made the crafts union to oppose the knights of labor. The knights who had opted to unite the skilled and unskilled laborers obtained massive success because many employees wanted to join a firm where their differences did not matter (Canadian Museum of History, n.d.). Some of them even left the crafts union to join the knights of labor, and that did not settle in well with the organization. However, because they had a larger pool of workers, the knights tended to solve general issues in the industrial community. When the members of the association saw that their custom needs were not being met, they ditched the knights and went to the crafts union.
Both the crafts union and the knights of labor aimed to acquire industrial supremacy. The divisions appeared to limit the effectiveness of the employment movements. Therefore, the crafts union wanted to be the only firm that stood for the interests of the workers to improve its efficiency. During the national labor meetings, the crafts unions advocated that the Canadian industrial unions were to be expelled with the knights of labor being one of them. The step deepened the antagonism and union divisions in the nation. The lack of cooperation worsened the work conditions for the laborers since they failed to receive adequate recognition and respect from the employers who saw the unions as groups of people who did not have a primary directive. They were solely motivated to outdo each other that they lost focus of the goals of their organizations (Rouillard, 2014).
The Development of the Working Class Reflected in the Popular Culture
In many countries, the working classes have always been viewed as the men and women who shaped the culture of the regions. Their influence was seen in the essential economic and social domains in the communities. The working classes were also the source of capitalism that sought to obtain more revenue under poor conditions. The labor factors that people experience today are a reflection of the events and aspects that the working class in history had to endure. The individuals promoted the financial growth and development in Canada providing the inhabitants with regional and cultural identities. The working class erupted in the 19th century in Canada due to the spread of the industrial capitalism in the parts of British North America. During the period, it was common for most Canadians to support their efforts as craftsmen, fishermen, and independent farmers. The entire household contributed to the production of items (Jackson, 2014).
The rising differentiation between the poor and the wealthy in the countryside, the construction of railways and canals, the rise of production, the growth of towns, and the expansion of resource industries created a revitalized kind of labor force. The workers had a relationship where the employee and employer would be guided by the capitalist market. The children and women also stopped participating in the manufacturing of services and goods. The considerable consequence of the industrial revolution brought about by the working class resulted in inequality in the society. Sharp distinctions amongst people began to elude with the emergence of social classes. The women were also left out in the development of the factories as men continued to control the labor market (Palmer & Heroux, 2012).
According to DiMambro, Lapointe & Snowden (2014), the economic changes inflicted by the working class also led to forced adjustments in leadership. The eruption of industrialization hastened the transfer of effective political authority from those who owned land to those who were involved in the sale, transport, and production of goods in the industrial age. As the working class obtained influence and power, they sought governments that would provide efficient legal and fiscal structures for the emerging economies. The working class exuded some form of populism that appealed to the conceptions and interests of the population to change the contrasting views of the citizens into a collective consciousness of their status quo. Their activities and beliefs were reflected in the popular culture ranging from entertainment and leisure in the 19th century (Jackson, 2014).
The Canadian culture and consumption were born in the 19th century especially after 1850. The working class introduced a series of elements that transformed consumer behavior, business practices, and trade organizations. Notable influences can be seen in the geographical and financial integration, industrialization, and transoceanic communications. The factors came from the expansion of the popular press and other types of print media as well as the construction of the railway. The outcomes were remarkable advances in intercultural exchanges, international trade, and the transformation of the urban community. The new social classes prevailed in the big cities where the industry and business flourished. The trade favored the working group, as more men acquired fortunes in the expanding production sector and joined the entrepreneurial elite (Palmer & Heroux, 2012).
Few working class individuals managed to climb to the top of the social ladder, but most were assured of a comfortable lifestyle and respectability. The middle class had the largest impacts on the consumption trends. The Canadian cities had highly diverse forms of mosaics. The industrialization stratified the population; while others had plenty, others grappled with irregular pay and terrible working conditions. Pictures and paintings indicate the growth in the exclusivity of working class who invested in lavish lifestyles that left others tempted to be like them. Gender roles also became prominent with the women in charge of decorating, cleaning, and feeding the household with the children by their side while the men went to work (Jackson, 2014).
The Role of Child Labor in the New Economy
As highlighted earlier, child labor was at its peak in the 19th century proving that usefulness to the industrialization of Canada. The work was supplemented by the immigrant kids brought in by the British from aid societies. The children were subjected to cruel conditions since they could not retaliate the brutal treatment of their employees. They were also paid less; hence, they were preferable to adults. It was assumed that kids were required to supplement the income of their families from the age of seven years. However, during the 20th century, the children began to be seen as economic liabilities when most of their time was spent learning instead of working. It was then that the labor movement formulated policies that restricted children from being subjected to forced employment (DiMambro, Lapointe & Snowden, 2014).
Child labor provided an essential contribution towards the New economy. Urbanization and industrialization opened up more chances for the kids who were not in school to obtain paying jobs. The employment of youngsters improved competition in the labor industry since the children began to replace the grownups. Also, it enhanced apprenticeship as the kids acquired necessary skills and knowledge and it led to industrial development. Child labor ensured that kids were not a cost to the household economy since they could fend for themselves. The family in return would receive a net gain of the youngsters’ jobs improving their living conditions in the short run. The displaced working society made it seem like the household could not support itself without the assistance of the kids. Hence, child labor became a crucial element in the new economy. However, due to the risks it introduced to the frail and vulnerable young ones, reforms fought for its annihilation (Jackson, 2014).
Conclusion
The industrialization of Canada shaped the cultural and economic outlook of the nation. Were it not for the help of the unions, the capitalist society would have overburdened the laborers. The organizations provided the suitable working conditions that the generation today enjoys such as shorter working hours, safe environments, and justified salaries. They also helped to show that employees should not be treated differently because of their variations in race or gender. The industrialization period assisted reformers to make necessary adjustments that went against the values of humanity (DiMambro, Lapointe & Snowden, 2014). It is also clear that the working class and children played a significant role during the era.
The working class shaped the cultural and political aspects of the country due to the influence they held in the community. They stratified the population into the social groups used to define people today. They also created a sense of competition where individuals strive to obtain more to live better and lavish lives. Children, on the other hand, were primary contributors to the development of the new economy. All these factors seek to point out the essence of history in redefining the present conditions that people experience in the society. The unions, working class, and child labor organized the elements of the work force. The changes and major landmarks in the employment sector in Canada can be derived from the emergence and growth of industrialization in the country in the 19th century.
References
Canadian Museum of History. (n.d.). The decline of the Knights. Retrieved from Canadian Museum of History: http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/labour/labh14e.shtml
DiMambro, A., Lapointe, D., & Snowden, B. (2014). The New Nation and Its Peoples: Differences in Legal Status for Canada’s Different Groups. Toronto.
Heron, C. (2014). Craft Unionism. Retrieved from Historica Canada: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/craft-unionism/
Jackson, E. (2014). Picturing Canada: Urbanization and the Changing Canadian. Toronto.
Kealey, G. S. (2015). Knights of Labor. Retrieved from Historica Canada: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/knights-of-labor/
Palmer, B. D., & Heroux, G. (2012). " Cracking the Stone": The Long History of Capitalist Crisis and Toronto's Dispossessed, 1830–1930. Labour/Le Travail, 69(1), 9-62.
Rouillard, J. (2014). Working Class History and The Rise Of Unions In Canada. Retrieved from West Kootenay Labor Council: https://westkootenaylabourcouncil.wordpress.com/canadian-labour/working-class-history-and-the-rise-of-unions-in-canada/
