Preview

18th And 19th Century: Source Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
680 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
18th And 19th Century: Source Analysis
Stability within a society is vital. It is what is required for a prosperous economy and a happy population. The source presented states that in order to enhance stability within a society, the government must provide greater opportunities for all people and failure to do so will not serve the common good. This ideology is similar to that of a liberalist society. Liberalism is an ideology that is based around the idea of freedom and equality. Liberal societies provide programs and opportunities to help people succeed in their pursuit to happiness. However, when not taking a liberalist route there has been many different occurrences that would challenge this source and its statement of equality and greater opportunity. Including the failure …show more content…
This era was called the industrial revolution. It was a time of expansion and it was a society fueled by greed. The industrial revolution consisted of wealthy corporations exploiting people of all ages and gender. As there was very little government intervention during this time, businesses went unchecked in their practices resulting in overworked and underpaid employees. The impact of social and economic classes were extremely evident. The poor and underprivileged suffered under the rule of the wealthy and prosperous. The source states that greater opportunity for all will help stabilize a society, which is clear that this is not what happened in the industrial revolution. If there was not such an enormous divide amongst the economic classes of the people there would not have been these atrocities that occurred. Adam Smith, a Scottish philosopher, believed in the ideology of laissez faire economics. Laissez faire economics is described as a way of the economy to be completely free from the government. The industrial revolution is an example of laissez faire capitalism at work, and it is also and example of how it failed the underprivileged horribly. In order to improve the stability of the society during the industrial revolution, the government should have stepped in and provided the people with greater opportunities and the ability to be equal with each other. The 18th and 19th century government being uninvolved with the economy increased the inequality of the classes and the people within them creating an exceedingly unstable

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Gullman Strike DBQ

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Large businesses would buy out smaller businesses and become even more wealthy and powerful by doing so. This proved to be a drain on the economy. With all competition eliminated, corporations were free to raise prices of their products as far as they wished, and people were forced but, because there were no other options. This served in stretching the gap between poor and rich, much, much wider. As grim as this period may seem, it was not only characterized by people and corporations like the ones mentioned above. Instead of using their wealth or power to gain more, many started to dedicate themselves to philanthropy, especially in the case of Andrew Carnegie who believed that it was the ultimate duty of the rich to give money to the poor and allow them resources that they previously were unable to have, as stated in his article The Gospel of Wealth. (Document E) Carnegie, a billionaire, went on to establish several libraries, schools, colleges, music venues and many other public…

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gke Task 4

    • 1094 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The two most significant social consequences of the First Industrial Revolution were the emergence of the Bourgeoisie and the rise of factories. As a result of new developments in machinery and the formation of factories, the division of the labor force drastically changed. No longer were people born into their crafts; however, they were able to choose factory work as their profession, and wealthy land owners were no longer able to count on the possession of large tracts of land as a form of wealth. The land owners either transitioned into becoming factory owners, or they faced bankruptcy due to lack of production which resulted from people born on their land leaving when they came of age to seek better paying positions in factories. The specialized craftsman were being forced out of existence by factories which could not only produce better goods, but they were able to, in some cases, triple the production of products previously produced by the specialized craftsman. Many people were choosing to become machine operators because the work was easier in the sense that they were able to work in all day long instead on only daylight to dawn, and this increased production led to the formation of the Bourgeoisie. The Bourgeoisie was the newly created middle class that was all but non-existent before the First Industrial Revolution. These positions came into existence due to the increased production of products that needed to be sold to the public. The Bourgeoisie was primarily shop owners, and their ability to market products to the public resulted in their dramatic increase in wealth and status within their local communities. These shop owners basically became the intermediary between the factory owners and the local populace, and their importance resulted in a new power struggle with the Factory and land owners. The Bourgeoisie caused the explosion of Capitalism in Europe and the rest of the world. The shop owners were able to rise above…

    • 1094 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Smith's theory coincided with a long-developing American tradition of individualism and opposition to government interference. America, not Britain, would be the great testing ground of Adam Smith's ideas (Miller and Masur). The industrial revolution was characterized by a technological revolution and a commercial revolution fueled by economic individualism and unrestricted competition. The lower class was transitioning from farm lands to a more secure job in a factory. Despite the terrifying wages and labor conditions, America would gradually improve. Adam Smith in “Theory of Moral Sentiments,” argues humans are social creatures and that poverty causes unfavorable regard. This industrial boom allowed the poverty-stricken to find a job and reestablish that love/belonging stage in their life. It could be argued this led to the beginning of the creation of the middle class, reshaping the haves and have-nots. Private investments and loans enabled inventors and scientists to develop these new technological advancements at expediting rates. Without capital from wealthy investors, many inventions would have not occurred due to insufficient funding, which was required to create their vision. Along with the importance of the creation of these inventions, the jobs that followed producing these goods were just as important, this best exemplifies Smith’s invisible…

    • 1553 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Industrial revolution also had its downfall, being that the people had to live in poor conditions. The peoples homes were made of brick, usually about one to two stories high with no bathrooms or windows. These homes were very small and held about 30 people, so they were very cramped. The roads were also very bad. They were unpaved with potholes that were filled with filthy puddles of waste that was gathered because the homes had no gutters or drains. Many people in closed areas led to slums, that were out of sight to the wealthier members of society. (DOC #5)…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The shift in the different working systems led to a shift in economic thinking. Adam Smith’s Laissez Faire policies were thought to be the key factor in a controlled economy. Agriculture shifted to the cottage industry and then the cottage industry shifted to the factory system. Thus, decreasing opportunities for both urban and rural working classes. Due to this, the quality of life, also known as the standard of living, had shifted. Population increase, mostly due to the disappearance of the plague and the availability of medicine had many people desperate for jobs. In the 18th and early 19th century, the shift in economic thinking provided a more liberal economy, which later turned out to affect the different working classes in aspects such as conditions and regulations, ultimately, lowering the standard of living.…

    • 645 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Building a Bridge to the Eighteenth Century By: Neil Postman Neil Postman identifies himself as a "neo-Luddite". What bothers Postman most is the fact that the great innovators of this time have no frame of reference other than their own experience, and that experience is only that of the 20th century. Advocates of trends such as information superhighways and economic globalization appear to know nothing of history, philosophy and culture; they live digitally in the hollow present. Postman assesses different ideas in each chapter: Chaper One: A Bridge to the Eighteenth Century Postman heralds the accomplishments of personalities of the 18th Century, including Goethe, Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Kant, Hume, Gibbon, Paine, Jefferson, Franklin, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, and Haydn, among many others.…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This era brought in many progressive and imperial actions due to domestic and international tensions present in society prior to and during this era. The increasing wealth gap between the rich and the poor, the frequent banking crisis throughout the decades, the looming presence of other countries overseas, and many more events all contributed to the social and political reforms happening in the US and involvement around the world. The single biggest factor that contributed to the progressive era has to be the era that came before it: the Gilded Age. Capitalism, more specifically laissez faire capitalism, has contributed greatly to the economy of the United States, making it one of the richest nations in the world. However, this method of unregulated capitalism soon proved to be a mistake, as more people started to notice the problems emerging as a result of the free reigning market.…

    • 1120 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Industrial Revolution was an era during the 18th and 19th century that went through a period of uncommon growth that affected both the social, economic and also cultural aspects of civilizations throughout the world. This was a time where machines were used to replace hand labor. It was known as the time that when the living standards of the people were raised in a major way and the health of people in the economic environment was unrelenting. During the revolution everyone in the lower and middle class was affected. This revolution had a variety of causes and still effects people in the world today.…

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Dbq Industrial Revolution

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Industrial Revolution was a period in which many great things came out of, but at the same time many terrible things occurred. Even though there were some unfortunate events that occurred, such as, brutal child labor, poor and unsafe working conditions, and long term physical effects from the unsafe working conditions, it all resulted in a positive outcome. The Industrial Revolution overall had a positive effect on society, though labor laws, the advances in technology, and the surplus of job opportunities.…

    • 899 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the 1800s, there was an era called the Industrial Revolution, which resulted in many positive changes and influences on the world such as technology advancement, new machines, and better lives for the people. For these reasons, goods were produced cheaper, people earned more money by working in the factories, and there was better infrastructure than before the Revolution.…

    • 490 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Karl Marx Vs Adam Smith

    • 1892 Words
    • 8 Pages

    During the 18th and 19th centuries, there were a series of intense discussions by the great thinkers of the time, on how the economy should be molded going forward. The two most prominent of these intellectuals were Karl Marx and Adam Smith. Combined they shared a vision of an emerging social system, which they had foreseen; and what we now know as capitalism. Marx called his theory “the capitalist mode of production”, while Smith referred to the idea as the “society of perfect liberty”. There are several similarities and differences between the two social systems, and through these ideas, we can find how the economic system we use today came to exist.…

    • 1892 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    gilded age

    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages

    along twith this everyone hated life. it wsnt all that great. no one wanted to work in the factories but thst was the only work source, and avaibale to the poor, most were uneducated.Gilded problems…

    • 1110 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    This time had both positive and negative effects, as even though the Industrial Revolution greatly increased productivity and made many advancement in technology, with more and more people could enjoy cheaper and more varieties of consumer goods, the negative effects were equally as enormous. Specifically, child labour, horrible living conditions and bad working conditions on the factory floor. It is debatable whether or not these were beneficial effects of the Revolution, as though it was terrible, it did bring light onto workers right and eventually brought in laws that meant that workers had better rights. In today’s world such bad working conditions and child labour is morally abhorrent. In fact it was the terrible working conditions and unacceptability of child labour which pushed for the change that eventually abolished child labour and improved working conditions in…

    • 877 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With the rapid growth of industry there were bound to be some problems that would affect society. Industrial companies now required more laborers to meet demands, all sorts of people started flowing into the cities for a chance to fill in these jobs. Although, not all these people looking for jobs could get one, with so many people willing to work these industrial jobs were hard to get into because of intense competition. Even if you could get a job working was not easy. Knowing the people were desperate and needed the money, the companies did not care for their workers at all. Wages were low, but it was their only source of income so the workers could not leave. Hours were gruesomely long, but they had to keep working to feed their families. The working conditions were also horrible, many worked dangerous jobs with no protection of their lives because they could be easily replaced by the next guy looking for a job. Industrialization may have had a positive outcome for some but it hurt more people than it helped. With no government regulation over business companies could form huge monopolies to control whole industries. This lead to even more problems, with no other competitors these monopolies controlled their own prices and had enough power to even influence government. The laissez-faire government could not regulate the prices so people were forced to pay what the companies asked. The lower…

    • 1168 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the late 1800s, the period when industrial growth was so dramatic was called the Second Industrial Revolution. New technologies expanded throughout this period such as the Bessemer process which was an inexpensive way to make steel from iron, oil, railroad expansion, and corporations. The Second Industrial Revolution created many jobs but it had many imbalanced conditions. The rich were getting tremendously rich, while the poor stayed very poor and unfortunate. Governments paid little attention to workers. Also, labor workers were in terrible conditions and rights were violated during the Industrial Revolution.…

    • 663 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays