Out of all of the jobs in the world, working in a factory is most certainly not the most appealing. Working conditions are poor, labor is grueling and the pay is meager. Typically, the topic of factory labor directly linked to modern day sweatshops. However, the bad reputation factory’s hold goes back to the 18th and 19th century. The Industrial Revolution introduced innovative technology that would do the work of a human in a fraction of the time. Machines were introduced to factories to mass produce textiles and other products. Both America and Britain were home to many factories during this time. Those who were employed at these factories did not work in the best of conditions. As time went on, it appeared that both countries were competing to have the worst working conditions in their factories.
Britain led the charge into the Industrial Revolution. While America was still in its early stages as a country, Britain could focus on mass production in factories. Around the beginning of the 19th century, Britain had experienced an increase in population. As Britain is a small country, land became overcrowded. With an increasing population came an increasing lower class as well. Factory labor was the simplest solution for those looking to get by. Factories were packed with employees, and factory owners lost control of the worsening working conditions. Children were the ideal employee for factories, as they could be hired for cheap and bring some money home to their families. In time, children would become the majority of the workers in British factories. However, many of the children could not handle the long day of hard labor, and were often caught sleeping on the job. This would lead to the punishment of a beating, which did not help the situation. There were no breaks for meals, so the children would eat at their work stations. Many of the children were not schooled during their time in the factories, and many grew up to be illiterate. Some cities that were especially factory weighted had an infant death rate of over 50%. Would Britain set the terrible standard for working conditions in factories?
With the country maturing from its early stages of life, America was ready to get take part in factory production. America was working under different circumstances than Britain. As opposed to the small land area Britain had, America had a lot of land to settle. With westward expansion underway, families could settle west and rely on a farm to keep themselves alive. Many did not need to work for factories, so factory owners had to find a way to gain employees. The strategy was to make the factory life look as appealing as possible. To do this, boarding houses were established, factory workers would have to wear uniforms and be taught manners. The plan was successful, as families were sending their children to the factories to bring some money home. In the beginning, factory workers were pleased with their jobs, and working conditions were bearable for once. American factories had improved upon those in Britain. However, this did not last long. As time went on, conditions became worse and worse. Reports of injuries and even deaths were becoming ever so frequent. The health of the factory employees were deteriorating as they worked. Once the demand for workers was fulfilled, factory owners no longer needed to be strict about their factories, and the conditions worsened. Eventually, American factories would become undeniably similar to those in Britain.
While it goes with one question that both countries had unbearable working conditions in their factories, one question still remains, who had it worse? American factories looked promising when they started. Conditions were far better than factories in Britain. At this time, it would be obvious that the working conditions in British factories were worse than those in America. However, as time progressed, American factories became overpopulated, unsanitary and a hub for injury and death, much like the factories in Britain. At the peak of the Industrial Revolution, both countries had equally poor factory conditions. It would be a matter of minor pros and cons of each countries factories that would distinguish them.
Just as modern day sweatshops are considered to be an awful job for the employee, factories in Britain and America during the Industrial Revolution were infamous for their terrible working conditions. While it would be difficult to establish what country had worse working conditions, it goes without saying that each country had its specific reasons that lead to their deteriorating factory conditions.
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