Living and Working Conditions in the East End in 1888 - Case Study Example

Name: Institution: Title: Living and working conditions in the East End in 1888 Tutor: Course : Date: Jack the Ripper murder case and the working conditions in Whitechapel Introduction Jack the Ripper is an acronym given to a serial killer who existed around the year 1888 in Whitechapel, east of London. The murderer targeted female commercial sex workers who roamed the streets of east London trying to make a living. Initially the murders were thought to be as a result of the insecurity in the district but over time, it became apparent that the emergence of capitalism contributed significantly to the killings. Similarly, the working and living conditions of the East End were not at per such that there were ever increasing social crimes everyday due to the high degree of poverty. Poverty among the inhabitants of the East End was mainly due to oppression by the high class members who also acted as majority of the employers of the citizens. According to the Marxist economic theory, the murders resulted from poor living standards as well as poverty such that the women had to look for alternative sources of income to sustain their families. As Jack the Ripper only murdered women, it means that they were the only workers who were within his reach at that time thus they became victims. Facts about the case The Whitechapel murders which were carried out in 1888 led to 11 women being killed though the case has never being concluded up to date. All the 11 deaths were linked to Jack the Ripper as the procedure or manner through which they were carried out was very similar. The other interesting fact about the case is that all the victims were women such that the murderer never had a male victim thus demystifying the case. The 11 victims include Emma Elizabeth Smith, Martha Tabram, Mary Ann Nicholas, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Jane Kelly, Rose Mylett, Alice McKenzie and Francis Coles (Fishman, 1998). All the others apart from Mylett were murdered during the same night and their throats were opened as well as possessing multiple mutilations in the region around the abdomen. Mylett was strangled and the rest of her body left unharmed while the 11th victim who was never identified was murdered and eventually her body dismembered (Curtis, 2001). Although most inhabitants of the area did not link the murders to a single killer, it was apparent that upon closer examination of the victims that open throats and mutilated abdomens were not the only unique features of the killer’s procedures. This is because the victims also exhibited severe mutilation of the genital areas and intense mutilations on the face hence leaving behind a reputable footing (Derek 2007). Nicholas was murdered on Buck Row and her body discovered in the early hours of dawn with two deep cuts on her throat as well as a very deep wound in the lower abdomen which opened it. Several mutilations were present on the region of the abdomen which was supposedly made by the same knife that ripped the abdomen open. The fact that she was murdered on the road shows that she had been looking for a potential buyer so as to get income. Chapman’s body on the other hand was found in a backyard near a doorway with two slashes on the throat and her abdomen wide open. Later on it was discovered that Chapman’s uterus had been removed during the ordeal. Consequently, eyewitnesses narrated that Chapman had been seen in the company of a dark-haired man whose appearance was unkempt shortly before her body was discovered (Fishman, 1998). Stride was seen in the company of a man who was described differently by two witnesses; one witness described her companion as fair and well-dressed while the other witness described the man as dark and shabbily dressed. Stride had a very clean incision that cut open the artery on her neck with no other physical injury on the body. Absence of other damage on Strides body were attributed to the fact that possibly the murderer could have been interrupted in the course of his murderous act or he could have been rushing to commit other crimes (Palmer, 1989). Eddowes was murdered in the same night as Stride and she also had been in the company of a fair man who was shabbily dressed. Eddowes’ body was identified barely one hour after Stride’s murder. Eddowes had a severed throat and subsequently her abdomen had been opened by a long jagged cut that was rather deep the face was similarly mutilated beyond recognition. The open abdomen gave way to the murderer to remove the uterus and left kidney. The deaths occurred within a time span of less that one hour and are infamously known as the ‘double event’ (Curtis, 2001). Kelly’s body was found on the bed of her single-roomed house with severe mutilations all over. Her mutilated body involved the throat being slight up to the spine and an open abdomen with no internal organs. The heart was also missing from the body and from the surrounding areas as the internal organs had been placed next to the body. The face had been hacked such that it was difficult to recognize the owner (London, 1999). The serial murders were conducted during the night or on weekends if not on nights close to the weekends. They were also orchestrated to occur when the month was nearly ending or at the beginning. Consequently, the intensity of mutilations increased with each murder such that those murdered in the early stages of the serial killings received less bodily damage as compared to those murdered later on who their entire bodies being had disfigured (London, 1999). Similarly, the deaths of Nicholas, Chapman, Stride, Kelly and Eddowes also called the canonical five were linked to a single killer as similar protocol was followed except for Stride. According to statements recorded by Whitechapel police, Jack the Ripper had selected the five women only and was not responsible for the death of other victims during the same period (Fishman, 1998). Living and working conditions at East End East End was originally an estate where immigrants working in the weaving industry were based such that upon the collapse of the silk industry in the early 1880s, there was a high rate of unemployment in the area. As a result of the reduced employment opportunities, lack of basic needs such as water and sanitation services led to increased infectious disease such as cholera as well as increased prostitution to generate income (Palmer, 1989). Consequently, lack of appropriate dwelling places resulted to the inhabitants of Whitechapel adopting shanties as their homes such that privacy and protection from extreme weather conditions was a thing of the past. The slums were quite extensive and on the other side were the houses for the wealthy which were well constructed. The lack of schools in the area resulted in high levels of illiteracy such that the locals only qualified for manual labouring as none possessed professional skills. Men were employed in the factories while women were left at home to look after the children or to seek alternative sources of income from businesses that had not been hampered by the impeding poverty (Langman, et. al. 2006). Individuals who failed to acquire jobs in the factories had an opportunity to work in the harbours and docks located in the River Thames. However, there was more crime that legal work in the docks due to the high unemployment rate as well as the rage of the citizens. The rise of the elite class consisting of employers who bought human capital is responsible for the pathetic living conditions of the individuals living in Whitechapel. Similarly, lesser than expected wages confided the labourers in endless poverty while at work they were expected to be as productive as possible despite the reduced motivation (Sekine, 1986). Application of Marxist economic theory in the murder case According to the Marxist economic theory, labourers should be rewarded or paid wages which are supposedly equivalent to the amount of human capital they engage in the generation of profits. However, this does not occur as the employers who are purchase human capital often to pay lesser value for labour offered such that the wages are only sufficient to satisfy the immediate needs of the labourer with no regard about investing. This scenario has widened the gap between labourers and their employees as even though more profits are attained courtesy of the labourer’s efforts, the employer never recognizes these efforts. These social as well as economic classes have resulted in increased social crimes in addition to engagement in activities that degrade the moral values of an individual in the quest of satisfying the basic needs of dependents (Böhm & Eugen, 2000). The serial murder cases of the women engaging in prostitution in Whitechapel are a product of the global capitalism brought about by the emergence of the urban proletariat aimed at providing sufficient wages for all despite the high population. Capitalists who own farms and industries tend to offer a small percentage of the required wages thus pushing the labourers to extremes of finding alternative sources of income after their day at the employer is over. This explains why the women were murdered at night as that was the only free time they had to seek alternative sources of income having spent their entire day at their capitalist employer (Karl, 1992). Living conditions in East End and the beginning of global capitalism (alienation) Karl Marx attributes human labour as a commodity that is put on offer such that it is sold in order to produce goods which can be consumed or sold to make a profit. In the ideal world, products of human labour or commodities produced after labourers have spent their energy in their production are meant to be sold to these producers so as to benefit from their hard work. However, in the Whitechapel scenario, alienation of the labourers from their fruits is evident as they are never given the chance to use the products they help produce. Alienation is also seen in the way in which labourers lack control over the design used in production as the capitalists determine such vital aspects with little regard to the producer (Böhm & Eugen, 2000). In the value of commodities principle, the Marxist economic theory illustrates the value of a commodity as being equivalent to the amount of human capital that was employed in the production process. Bearing in mind that most economists state that the government plays a passive role in the control of markets and the overall ownership of property in a country, the wealthy tend to exploit the poor. In the Whitechapel case, the wealthy could have been oppressing the labourers by presenting minimal wages that can barely meet their necessities. Such a situation is sufficient to push labourers to engage in all sorts of income earning activities including prostitution (Karl, 1992). The other setting for the Whitechapel murders in relation to global capitalism could have been as a result of men being paid lowly such that they forced their wives into prostitution as a way of increasing their meagre income. Global capitalization is responsible for increased mobility among people in the quest for greener pastures regardless of the nature of human capital that is required to obtain the wages (Gretchen, 1995). Similarly, global capitalization is often attributed to economic growth and increased industrialization in the early years. Alienation is also present in the manner in which human beings who were originally expected to live harmoniously tend to group themselves as either high class or low class depending on their income levels. Alienation is also exhibited in the way in which the various groups are able to live in diverse environments such that some live in slums while the others live in established neighbourhoods (Murray, 1995). Industrialization tends to bring about a number of vices as well as social misfits as individuals strive to attain the status of the middle or upper class. These social classes are categorized in relation to amount of wealth that is possessed and those without such wealth will engage in any form of business undertaking even if it entails killing people so as to gain the title. Social misfits arise due to discontentment with the prevailing conditions such as oppression and increased divide between the have-nots and the haves while the government fails to intervene are enough reasons for a person to go berserk. Therefore, the murders of the 11 women could have been unplanned such that the only mistake they did was being in the murderer’s way as he sought revenge. Other members of the Whitechapel community who were fed up with the behaviour of the capitalists could have utilized the opportunity to settle their stored fury (Böhm & Eugen 2000). Global capitalism also emerged at this time and it was enhanced by the fact that the government allowed all to work wherever they pleased in addition to engaging in any form of labour. Such freedom is responsible for the increased crimes, oppression and prostitution as there were no rules governing how people should sell their human capital. As a result the urban proletariat emerged for the first time in history (Karl, 1992). Marxism emergence of the urban proletariat in the Whitechapel working conditions The urban proletariat is defined as the working class living in urban centres. This class of workers presents the largest portion of the entire population where human capital is sold to gain wages. According to Marxism economics theory, this category of individuals has a single dream, to overpower the wealthy who oppress them and ensure that resources are equally distributed to all. This generates an argument that the suspect of the Whitechapel murders could have been one of the wealthy who was seeking to wipe out the prostitutes as a way of eliminating such social ills. Similarly, it could have been ways of making the labourers suspend any dreams of ever moving to the upper class (Gretchen, 1995). The other indication that the urban proletariat emerged at this period is based on the expertise demonstrated by the killer. The pathologists argued that whoever was conducting the killings must have been trained in anatomy or surgery as the procedures were carried out precisely. At the time of the murders, the labourers were not conversant with such professional skills as they were entirely employed as casuals in areas engaging manual labour. Consequently, the spirit of communism that existed among the urban proletariats would never allow them to murder members of their own social class (Coser, 1977). The emergence of the urban proletariat coincided with the influx of immigrants in east London from various countries. The new inhabitants brought about overcrowding and congestion of an already overcrowded district. This was the prelude for reduced labouring opportunities and those who were left out engaged in al manner of social evils inclusive of robberies while women were driven to prostitution as the working opportunities were not sufficient (Böhm & Eugen 2000). From the connections indicated above based on the Marxism economic theory on the begging of global capitalism and the emergence of the urban proletariat, it is evident that that the women were killed by capitalism. This is because capitalism created favourable conditions for social evils to exist alongside oppression by the wealthy. Consequently, Jack the Ripper was only reacting to the prevailing conditions that had all along been presented to the people living in east London at that time (Karl, 1992). Conclusion In conclusion, though the murderer of the women has never been identified up to date, all fingers point to the capitalists who living at that time. The Marxism economic theory demonstrates clearly that Jack the Ripper was pushed to carry out the murders subsequent to the nature of society he was living in at that time. However, with adequate government intervention, global capitalism and the urban proletariat can be utilized to benefit the labourers as well as their employers mutually. References Palmer, A. (1989), The East End: John Murray, London Böhm, B. & Eugen V., 2000, Capital and Interest: A Critical History of Economical Theory. London: Macmillan and Co  Coser, L. A. (1977). Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in Historical and Social Context, 2nd Ed., Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc Curtis, L., 2001, Jack the Ripper and the London Press, Yale University Press Derek M., (2007), Mile End Old Town 1740-1780: A social history of an early modern London Suburb: East London History Society Fishman, J., 1998, The East End 1888. Duckworth Publishers, London Gretchen, G., (1995) Black London: Life Before Emancipation: New Jersey Karl M., 1992, Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts in early writings. Penguin classics London, J., 1999, The People of the Abyss. McMillan Press, New York. Langman, L. and Devorah and Fishman, L. 2006 The Evolution of Alienation: Trauma, Promise, and the Millennium. Harvard University Press Murray R. (1995), An Austrian Perspective on the History of Economic Thought Volume II: Classical Economics. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd Sekine, T.T. (1986), The Dialectic of Capital. A Study of the Inner Logic of Capitalism, vol, 2. Princeton University Press. Read More