Question

Explain the miserable conditions of industrial workers in britain during the 19th century

Answer 1

(i) Seasonal work : In most of the industries, the demand for labour was seasonal. The actual possibility of getting a job depended on existing networks of friendship and kin relations.

(ii) Low wages : The workers were getting very low wages.At the best of times till the mid-nineteenth century, about 10% of the population was extremely poor.

(iii) Women workers : Factories employed large number of women. With technological development women gradually lost their industrial jobs.

(iv) Problem of Housing : Most of the workers were living in slums. Factory or workshop owners did not house the migrant workers,

(v) Source of Fun and Leisure : For the poor workers the streets often were the only place for rest, leisure and fun. The working poor created spaces of entertainment wherever they lived.

Answer 2

Ans- 1) The actual possibility of getting a job depended on existing networks of friendship and kin relations.
2) Job seekers had to wait weeks, spending nights at Night refuges set up by private individuals or Casual wards maintained by Poor law authorities.
3) Seasonality of work meant unemployment for a long period of time. After the busy season was over, the poor were on streets again.
4) The period of employment was also critical: the number of days of work determined the average daily income of the workers.
5) In the period of economic slump, the proportion of employed went up between 35-75% in different regions