ThE InDuStRiAl ReVoLuTiOn Life of the wealthy


The wealthy people in Britain lived very different lives to the factory and mine workers. The factory owners, mine owners and those who owned the iron and steel works became very rich. They were able to pay very low wages to their workers while making enormous profits. These business owners needed to employ doctors, lawyers and accountants. This new rich middle class lived in very large houses in the towns, far away from the slums. Sometimes they had houses in the countryside also. Their families were helped in their homes by servants. Their children were educated by private tutors and were well fed. When the children grew up they attended universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. As the popularity of trains grew, holidays were spent at seaside resorts.


G. Historical Significance of the Industrial Revolution


Population changes In the countries that experienced industrialisation, the populations increased. Britain’s population grew from 8.9 million in 1801 to 32.5 million a century later.


The Luddites


The changes in society that occurred in Britain were not always popular. The poor working and living conditions and the low wages at times made workers very angry. Between 1811 and 1818, a group of people called Luddites began to break into factories and smash the machines. They were angry at losing their jobs and being replaced by these machines. The government dealt very harshly with the Luddites and the movement soon died out.


The Chartists and trade unions


In the 1830s, a new movement called the Chartists attempted to get more rights for workers. They demanded that the right to vote should be given to all men and not just landowners. This was known as universal male suffrage. They also wanted to have fairer elections so that workers could be represented in Parliament. The rich landowners in the parliament did not want to lose their power so they refused all of the Chartists’ demands. In 1825, trade unions (organisations made up of workers from a particular industry) were made legal. However, they were not allowed to go on strike (refuse to work). Throughout the nineteenth century many trade unions were established but most failed and many of the trade union members


293 Fig 11.30 Luddites smashing factory machines in anger.


11


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