The Cultural Responses to the Industrial Revolution - Essay Example

Reading Header: The Industrial Revolution The Cultural Responses to The Industrial Revolution Insert Insert Grade Insert 09 March 2012 French and English literally writers came up with the term industrial revolution to depict the social changes arising from urbanization and industrialization. Innovations accompanied the rising demands of the populations John Kay patented the flying shuttle in 17331 and it was followed by a steam engine innovation by James Watt in 1776, other innovations followed successfully building on the previous innovations . This led to adoption of mechanization that replaced human labour as it was more efficient. In 1780s the mechanized loom was in operation and it replaced the need for skilled weavers. These innovations were accelerated by the demand to produce in large scale cheaper cotton cloths, glass ware, baskets, nails and guns to supply to the rising populations. Industrial was welcomed warmly by all and it was a source of excitement for all classes of people as shown by the presence of government officials during the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester railway line in 1830. It was characterized by rapid urban growth which changed the normal way of doing things; the revolution changed the political landscape, social relations, culture and the natural landscape. It was a gradual process driven by innovation and invention that was spanned over several decades. The introduction of steam -driven machinery and large factories necessitated a work force, this made peasants, and workers migrate to the city in search of jobs. The formed the new working class that filled the cities. The rural to urban migration led to overcrowding leading to many social problems and evils that included prostitutions, crime alcohol abuse, and diseases. The social changes were unlike any other seen and many people were shocked by the rapid change in social norms. This was expressed consciously through literally works by poets, novelists, and painters who stressed the need for social reforms Factory workers increased with increase in factories and the formed a new socioeconomic class complete with a different culture and traditions2. They soon were called the working class and in time developed organized societies having similar interests. These societies supported their fellow workers and instigated the first political reforms by forming labour unions. Poor wages and pollution lead to new levels of poverty among the working class and increased health problems reducing the life span of many. Continued rural to urban migration increased overpopulation levels. Overcrowding and poverty worsened sanitary conditions compromising the primary sources of water and soon a cholera epidemics swept across Europe from Asia in 18503 and it caused a lot of deaths among the poor neighborhoods. Cholera fears increased panic and increased social tensions leading to workers attacking hospitals and physicians in Paris. The cholera epidemic brought to the surface the underlying social inequalities and the tensions between the two upper class and the workers. The wealth gap was widening alarmingly and many workers lived in absolute poverty. The social effects, overpopulation, low wages, inadequate housing and lack of adequate food led to decreased health status in the workers leading to high mortality deaths, high infanticides deaths, increased crime and prostitution. The increasing hostilities between the rich and the poor made reformers to warn of an impending humanitarian crisis lead by the clergy, poets and physicians. Most poor people lived on charity and handouts. Agricultural production in Europe was not able to satisfy the rising population’s demands for food. The railroads helped distribute the food but some locations especially the east remained isolated and hence prone to famines. This increased immigration to other countries and cities and traditional roles began changing as men migrated to other cities leaving the women to fend for themselves. Faced with increasing evidence of the extent of social evils created by industrialization and urbanization from government reports, medica accounts, and literary and artistic expressions of the social evils the Europeans made concise efforts to correct the problem. At the forefront were middle class women who formed charity groups4, spread Christianity, and facilitated education to the poor prior to the industrial revolution. women were expected to perform house duties but they soon participated in public issues. By actively picking up roles to fight prostitution, poverty, drug abuse, and slavery, they had crossed the gender roles The social ills permitting the society created a good ground for artistic criticism of industrialization with poets and painters denouncing the social ills. English born poet Elizabeth Barret Brown denounced child labour by works such as "the cry of the children". The effects of industrializations soon were depicted in literary work as shown by the painting by Joseph M. Turner called in “the rain, steam, and speed: The Great Western Railway”5 (1844)’Novels were populized by libraries and newspapers and had a large reading public they soon depicted the social conditions facing the society by writing about the harsh effects and results of industrialization and urbanization. Women Novelists like Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre (1847)6 illustrated the hardships faced by women. Industrialization led to the emergence of new cultures as artists became more involved in society and social issues. Many people attended cultural events and this led to the opening of museums and libraries to the public. The invention of photography in 1939 provided another medium of portraying reality through visual images and this sensitized the public on the negative effects of industrialization and urbanization. The agitation for social reforms saw very many groups’ artists and individuals coming up with creative ways to push for a change in social evils. Moral reform societies were formed and they used a variety of means to try and change the poor man’s ways. They encouraged education and empowerment of the poor as a means of dignifying the poor people. The religious organizations also contributed to social reform albeit against differences in the working classes. Both the catholic and protestant clergies lamented that workers did not attend religious services. British religious groups sought to overcome this issue by launching a Sunday school movement which was highly successful though most of the children parents never went to church. The Catholic Church had seen more women enrolled in religious orders started and ran schools, hospitals, leper colonies, insane asylums, and age -old homes7. The Protestants women in Britain and the United States formed missionary and female reform societies that fought prostitution. They also spread the virtues of temperance especially against drinking. Many social reformers believed education was the major avenue of uplifting the poor and the working class. British churches founded the national society for education of the poor and ran it with enhanced Christian’s principles. Governments soon followed with the French government passing a law requiring every town to have a primary school, pay teacher and offer free education to poor lads in 1833. Education to the girl child was not mandatory and this prevented them from having economic independence Education for the poor man was not successful and educations remained underdeveloped and out of reach to the poor as peasants were excluded from the few primary schools in Russian Even though women were involved in charity, they still viewed it as one of their domestic roles; a fact captured by English poet Alfred lord Tennyson in the poem "man for the field and woman to the hearth" a fact that was shared by many people as they felt that men and women needed to maintain traditional roles to maintain social order. This was reinforced by denying girls equal opportunities to education and opportunities. The responses to the industrial revolution have contributed to the modern classes and gender identity differences as shown by salaries and employment in key positions. Women still lag behind their male counterparts and hence the traditional mentality of male superiority is still present. Affluent members of the society will always remain affluent as they have lots of opportunities and access to education unlike their poor counterparts and hence the effects of industrial revolution are still being felt even today. End notes 1. John Kay patented the flying shuttle in 1733 2. new socioeconomic class complete with a different culture and traditions 3. a cholera epidemics swept across Europe from Asia in 1850 4. At the forefront were middle class women who formed charity groups 5. Joseph M. Turner called in “the rain, steam, and speed: The Great Western Railway”. 6. Novelists like Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre (1847) 7. The Catholic Church had seen more women enrolled in religious orders started and ran schools, hospitals, leper colonies, insane asylums, and age -old homes Work cited Katharine, Lualdi. 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