The industrial revolution was more harmful to more people than it benefitted. As a direct cause of the industrialization of America, rampant poverty and hazardous living conditions abounded. Lack of regulation and government interference led to unfair monopolies which controlled the economy. The industrial revolution harmed through hazardous working conditions, corporate and government dishonesty and widening of the rich/poor gap.
Due to the lack of regulations at the time, factory workers were subjected to harsh working conditions which often led to accidents or fatalities. Henry Ford said that it was better for a man to have a job "and put him in the way of a good living" rather than starve. The Triangle Factory Fire was an extremely deadly industrial accidents caused by unsafe working conditions leading to a fire which killed hundreds of workers. Children were also often employed to clean machines since no work laws had been put into place. Employers often cared more about increasing the production rates in their factories than the workers themselves which placed the labor force at risk. No alternative jobs were available to the lower classes however and many were forced out of work due to injuries sustained in the workplace. This created a vicious cycle since if you could not work you could not get paid, worsening poverty and forcing children into factories.
Government and corporate dishonesty led to unfair business practices and economic control by the very wealthy. in "Robber Barons and Rebels" Thomas Edison promised politicians $1000 if they would make laws favoring his business. Rockefeller made underground deals with railroad magnates in order to arrange lower rates. Rockefeller and Edison's bribes allowed them to operate their businesses freely, without government interference. They often paid workers very little in order to maximize profits. This also allowed Rockefeller to drive his competitors out of business and buy them up, leading to his control of the entire oil industry. This allowed very little competition in the market and closed down opportunity for people to rise and make money.
Through monopolization and disregard for worker rights, the gap between the wealthy and the majority in poverty grew. Captains of industry such as Andrew Carnegie monopolized vertically and took over vaste swathes of the steel industry. Eugene Debs was against the capitalist system and said that "money constituted no proper basis for civilization". As a labor party leader Debs saw the capitalist system as keeping workers oppressed while only few were allowed to rise and benefit from it. Out of this grew the ability for captains of industry to take over and control the economy. This left very little opportunity for the common people to rise up through the economy.
OPTIONAL CONCLUSION
Due to the lack of regulations at the time, factory workers were subjected to harsh working conditions which often led to accidents or fatalities. Henry Ford said that it was better for a man to have a job "and put him in the way of a good living" rather than starve. The Triangle Factory Fire was an extremely deadly industrial accidents caused by unsafe working conditions leading to a fire which killed hundreds of workers. Children were also often employed to clean machines since no work laws had been put into place. Employers often cared more about increasing the production rates in their factories than the workers themselves which placed the labor force at risk. No alternative jobs were available to the lower classes however and many were forced out of work due to injuries sustained in the workplace. This created a vicious cycle since if you could not work you could not get paid, worsening poverty and forcing children into factories.
Government and corporate dishonesty led to unfair business practices and economic control by the very wealthy. in "Robber Barons and Rebels" Thomas Edison promised politicians $1000 if they would make laws favoring his business. Rockefeller made underground deals with railroad magnates in order to arrange lower rates. Rockefeller and Edison's bribes allowed them to operate their businesses freely, without government interference. They often paid workers very little in order to maximize profits. This also allowed Rockefeller to drive his competitors out of business and buy them up, leading to his control of the entire oil industry. This allowed very little competition in the market and closed down opportunity for people to rise and make money.
Through monopolization and disregard for worker rights, the gap between the wealthy and the majority in poverty grew. Captains of industry such as Andrew Carnegie monopolized vertically and took over vaste swathes of the steel industry. Eugene Debs was against the capitalist system and said that "money constituted no proper basis for civilization". As a labor party leader Debs saw the capitalist system as keeping workers oppressed while only few were allowed to rise and benefit from it. Out of this grew the ability for captains of industry to take over and control the economy. This left very little opportunity for the common people to rise up through the economy.
OPTIONAL CONCLUSION