Impacts of Industrial Revolution
Industrialization played a vital role in World War 1. It consisted of both positive and negative
impacts. To start off with, it allowed for new machinery to be produced and at a faster rate
than before. There was an increase in technology which led to better results. Most of the
factories also enjoyed a part of the benefit from Industrial Revolution. During the Industrial
Revolution, assembly lines were introduced where different workers worked on specific tasks
and made the finish product easier to complete and also faster. Industrialization introduced
the mass production; meaning the creation of a lot of products in very less time. Since
machineries were introduced producing goods became cheaper since all of it would be
produced in bulk. Therefore, the accessibility of the people increased and therefore the supply
of goods also rose. A lot of job opportunities were created since all the factories were
expanding. Even though the machineries replaced few labors, there were still scope for
workers. Transporting raw materials from one place to another had become easier.
Industrialization also led to urbanization which means movement of people to cities.
Also, the newly invented steam engine provided cheap movement of goods through
waterways. Canals were built so resources could be transported with ease.
The inventions of railroads dramatically revolutionized life in Britain. The railroads gave
manufacturers a cheap way to transport their products. Fresh food could also be delivered to
distant towns. The railways also gave people opportunities to travel. Traveling meant that
people met people from other cities which resulted in long distance relationships and
marriages. Time standards, newspapers and mail systems were also invented.
John McAdam, a Scottish engineer improved roads a lot. He created a new layout for roads
so they are safer and more effective. The road beds consisted of large stones which helped
with drainage. On the top were finely crushed rocks.
Improvements in sanitary conditions and medical care gradually occurred, although they were
quite slow. It still played an important role since sanitation is one of the most essential part of
every human being. That also helped in improving the living conditions of people during that
time.
All in all, there were many positive impacts of Industrial Revolution. It helped to raise the
standard of living of the people since the availability of new materials and resources were
increasing rapidly along with an improvement in sanitation.
Although there were many positive impacts, there were many negative impacts too. To begin
with, the urban areas doubled and led to overcrowding. Sometimes a large population is a
good thing, but in this case the population was too big and caused many health problems.
Living conditions were dirty and unhealthy. Cities were unsanitary and diseases filled the
streets. There were no sanitation codes in cities. Many citizens got very sick. Factory work
was dirty and dangerous. Bosses strictly disciplined their employees and treated them
harshly. The workers were underpaid and overworked. They didn't get enough money for the
labour they were providing. One also had a short life expectancy if they worked in a factory.
The hours in a workday were very long too because the factories were indoors and didn't
have to use sunlight to decide business hours. The government also provided no regulations
for the treatment of a business’s employees. Businesses started to hire children to work in
factories because their small could reach into tiny holes and it is easier for them to do things
which require small hands or bodies. Also, there was a widening gap which emerged between
the Bourgeoisie and the working class. The pollution in the environment got worse. Water
canals which the people used were contaminated. The sanitary conditions were also poor
because they were not adapted by the massive rural exodus. There was no solution for the
weather conditions either, in winter cold drafts got into the building, in summer there was
sweltering heat which turned brick tenements into brick ovens for which people had to sleep
outside. There was an increase in crime and violence as everything was not abided by law.
All the conditions that were being improved was done for the mass therefore the quality had
deteriorated.
As a result, the Industrial Revolution did cause a lot of problems to Europe itself despite its
contribution to making it a better place to live in.
Even though the Industrial Revolution helped Europe in so many ways, it also harmed
Europe. The lack of sanitation got many people sick. Work conditions also hurt citizens a lot
by causing fatigue and illness. Children were also taken from their homes on the farm to
work in dirty and scary factories.
To come to a conclusion, The Industrial Revolution is one of the most significant events in
human history and had a profound effect on many nations throughout the world. While the
Industrial Revolution first began in Britain in the 18th century, and took place throughout the
centuries that followed, its impacts can still be seen in our lives today. As an event, the
Industrial Revolution had both positive and negative impacts for society.
References:
1. Negatives of the Industrial Revolution. (2019). Retrieved 4 December 2019, from
https://www.historycrunch.com/negatives-of-the-industrial-revolution.html#/
2. Effects in the 18th/19th Century - 5 Effects of Industrialization. (2019). Retrieved 4 December
2019, from https://sites.google.com/site/5effectsofindustrialization/effects-in-the-1800s-1900
