OK, the world is a different place now that the Industrial Revolution has spread around the globe. But, not everyone is happy with what is happening. Workers (men, women, and children) were being exploited as Laissez-faire policies let the Controllers of the Means of Production free to conduct their factories in any way they chose. However, many philosophers came up with new ideas to challenge the status quo. The most famous was Karl Marx. His theories called up for the workers to rise up and seize the means of production. Workers began to form unions to push for rights for all workers. Meanwhile, older empires tried to play catch up. The Ottomans and the Qing both tried to catch up with state sponsored Industrial programs, which usually failed to meet their overall goals.
Objective:
I. Explain the causes and effects of calls for changes in industrial societies from 1750 to 1900.
Theme:
I. SIO (Society)
Skills:
I. SIO
Explain the causes and effects of calls for changes in industrial societies from 1750 to 1900.
Historical Development
In response to the social and economic changes brought about by industrial capitalism, some governments, organizations, and individuals promoted various types of political, social, educational, and urban reforms. In industrialized states, many workers organized themselves, often in labor unions, to improve working conditions, limit hours, and gain higher wages. Workers’ movements and political parties emerged in different areas, promoting alternative visions of society. Discontent with established power structures encouraged the development of various ideologies, including those espoused by Karl Marx, and the ideas of socialism and communism. In response to the expansion of industrializing states, some governments in Asia and Africa, including the Ottoman Empire and Qing China, sought to reform and modernize their economies and militaries. Reform efforts were often resisted by some members of government or established elite groups.