Autonomy and Society During the Industrial Revolution

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The Industrial Revolution gave mankind more control over natural forces and made the production of more goods possible. One of the biggest changes from the Industrial Revolution was the movement of the population from a rural setting to the urban areas. Many new cities were created, and most of the already existing urban centers expanded in size. The population of Great Britain, France, and Germany increased by a combined 14 million people between 1831 and 1851.1 Living conditions for all classes were improved, and the people began to live in less poverty than ever before. More people of the time came to have extra money, creating an economy that grew by having a wider domestic base instead of concentrating more on trade. The industrialization of Europe created progress for all, improving the quality of life, and availability of products, as well as help close the gap between proletariat and bourgeoisie.

The population was divided into two classes, the bourgeoisie and proletariat. Both groups had differing ideas of culture, society, laws, and general lifestyles. The bourgeoisie, or middle class, was the controlling group, consisting of merchants, tradesmen, and professionals. The middle class was the wealthier class, in charge of factories and involved in governmental positions. In middle class families there was a distinct separation between men and women. The men went out and earned money for the family, while the women stayed at home and raised children. Bourgeois children were treasured by their families, and educated in both schools and at home. "Daily experience shows that it is energetic individualism which produces the most powerful effects upon the life and action of others, and really constitutes the best practical education."2 An education gave the bourgeoisie a sense of superiority over the working class as well as a sense of responsibility for them. The bourgeoisie had a firm belief that the market was the ultimate expression of individual liberty.

The middle class society controlled the fate of the working class and oftentimes exploited them to further their own ends, all in the name of improving society. Most middle class people were concerned mainly with gaining wealth, and ensuring that the working class did not rise up against them. The bourgeoisie felt that the lower class was lazy and would be unproductive if they were not properly disciplined. Therefore, working conditions in factories were very difficult on the life of the working class man.

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