Industrial Revolution Dbq

Economic changes in the nineteenth century increased the number of European industrial workers dramatically and transformed the conditions where they lived and worked. The Industrial Revolution brought advances in machinery, economics, and technology. What some may not know was that the conditions that workers faced led to many arguments on how to improve their insalubrious living conditions, poor working conditions, and long hours of very low pay.

Political leaders and theorists argued over that fact that it is the government's responsibility to help the workers by improving their working and living conditions. Louis Blanc, a French political leader stated that it is very important for the government to be strong even at their worst times because, “there are weak persons who need a social force to protect them” (Doc 7). Ferdinand Lassalle also supports the thought of a strong government and that

a country should be held together by the state by unifying “individuals into a moral whole” (Doc 9). The beliefs of these theorists basically state that you need the government to strengthen the state and improve the lives of the working class.

In addition, politicians and activists stated that it was the government's actions that needed to include reforms and civil rights.

Some activists at the time unfortunately believed that suffrage was the answer for the renovation of the middle class. London Workingmen’s Association “the laboring classes may be silently plundered or suddenly suspended from employment” because the working class did not have the right to vote in 1838, so they did not have the opportunity to vote for their depiction (Doc 4). The working class had gone through so much suffrage by 1896. Alexander Millerland believed that with that betterment, revolutions weren’t necessary (Doc 12). On the topic of not being able to vote, women did not have that right. Knowing they did not, they still fought for civil rights and liberties for men hoping to better their lives as a result (Doc 8). The demand for Union’s in the workplace was also brought to the table. For the ability to fight for justice and equality (Doc 5), yet others had their different point of view when it comes to reforms and the

government.

Other people believed in a very different way to change things. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles believed that the only way to topple the dominant class and reach the workers’ goals were revolutions (Doc 6). During the Paris Commune, some believed “the whole system of work should be reorganized…” with a high possibility of a revolution until that was achieved.

During the nineteenth century there were many different beliefs as to how the lives of European Industrial workers may improve. In conclusion, it is a combination of both beliefs for the improvement in the workers’ lives. If it weren’t for the ups and downs during this time era, Everything would have remained the same. Everything happens for a reason, but in the end “what you believe is yours to decide.”