Term Paper on US Industrial Revolution: Establishing US Superiority in Late 1800s

Introduction

The late 1800s and in the beginning of 1900s industrialized momentum marked the beginning of the United States established its superiority. The late 1800s period witnessed a significant number of modifications in the political and economic structure of the United States. The industrial revolution in the US started in New England. A variety of large scale textile millers were set up in the region and other parts of the United States, therefore, facilitating the widespread industrial revolution in the area. Massachusetts' role in ensuring the success of the industrial revolution in the US was pivotal as a result of numerous textile mills in the region (Collins & Halverson, 2018). The significant role of Massachusetts earned it the name "cradle of the US' uprising in the industry. The uprising of America was primarily concentrated in New England and Massachusetts before it spread to the West in the 1800s. It further spread to the East in the early 1900s. The primary cause of the American industrial revolution was the Embargo Act of 1807. The Act prohibited American-owned merchant ships from departing for foreign destinations. The laws further restricted alien ships from ferrying goods from the ports of America. Embargo Act was aimed at banning France and England from American markets due to their participation in Napoleonic wars. The American industrial revolution was also an influence of political supremacy. Laisse-Fair politics also played a crucial role in facilitating the development of the American industrial revolution. Limited participation of government in business ventures allowed businesses to flourish rapidly hence leading to the introduction of influential political figures and business gurus who had influence globally. The industrial revolution primarily focused on economic growth while it retarded democracy in the United States.

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Influence of the American Industrial Revolution on Democracy

The industrial revolution was significant in ensuring the supremacy of the United States of America. On the other hand, the revolution hurt and retarded other critical elements of the state. The industrial revolution hampered the United States' idea of establishing itself as a democratic state (Liao, Loures, Deschamps, Brezinski, & Venancio, 2018). Some of the factors that indicate impediment of democracy as an outcome of the industrial revolution involve forced urban migration of the laborers. The excessive power of the corporations and wage slavery of factories, among other aspects, as discussed below, imply a retard in the development of democracy during the industrial revolution period.

Workers Forced to Live in Urban Settlements

The industrial revolution in America challenged democracy. Although the revolution set significant growth in the economy of the state, it considerably failed to achieve other important aspects of a free country. The labor force working for the setup industries in the state was forced to migrate to tenements in urban areas. Lack of government regulation during the industrial era gave the business owners a lot of power and control over other people. The forced migration of the labor force to urban areas was dictatorial (Collins & Halverson, 2018). The laborers who were unable to meet the costs of migrating and living in urban areas were forced to take in boarders to raise the rent. The sharing of rooms in urban areas led to crowding, therefore, affecting family privacy. The laborers' tenements lacked indoor plumbing. Urban dwellers of a whole apartment were compelled to use the few toilets in the alley and fetched water from a single faucet. The water in urban areas was unclean hence paused a threat to the lives of the laborers. The crowded laborers had no choice other persevering the harsh terms and conditions from their employers (Liao et al., 2018).

Impersonal and Autocratic in Corporations

Corporations significantly gained control, therefore becoming the dominant form of enterprise. During the industrial revolution era in America, the power of corporate businesses burst beyond the management of the federal government. Corporations became stronger than the state hence made decisions that suit themselves at the expense of other individuals. Instead of serving the citizens, the corporation acquired the master's status (Landes, 2018). The American corporations became autocratic and impersonal; therefore, inhumane and deaf to the needs of the citizens. The government failed to oversee the activities of the corporations in America; thus, permitting the corporations to harass their employees. The majority of the employees in American organizations during the industrial revolution did not have an organization that would defend them. The corporations and other businesses set up used the opportunity to torment the employees (Collins & Halverson, 2018).

Wage Slavery of Factories

Increasing the income and wealth for the factory owners in America strained the democracy. During and after the industrial revolution in the US, the industrial laborers had limited options. The industrial employees earned merely ten dollars a week, which was inadequate for survival. The employees had fewer chances of improving their living standards. Factory slavery replaced the common chattel cotton slavery (Landes, 2018). The factory bosses would dictate what the employees were supposed to do on and off duty. When the boss ordered his or her employees to jump, none of them would dare disobey the boss' order. During the revolution, there was no voting or discussing a decision in the factories. The consequences were either salary deduction, lying off or physical punishments. The employees worked in great fear. Any employee who would disobey his or her master was free to quit, but with the thought of having a family to support back at home forced the majority of employees to persevere the harsh treatment from their bosses. Employee independence and freedom could only work when the employees are discussing with their families. Democracy was an illusion to the employees during the industrial revolution (Tone, 2018).

Influence of Industrial Revolution on Equality

Introduction of Social Classes

The industrial revolution period impeded the development of equality in society. The revolution birthed social class among the Americans. The two primary social classes that were an outcome of the industrial revolution were the wealthy class and the poor class. The rich class comprised of merchants, industrialists, and ship owners. The poor quality was the necessary employee who lived in horrible conditions in urban areas (Landes, 2018). The rich continued amassing more wealth while the poor became poorer. The majority of the company owners and other top employees secluded themselves from the rest of society. The wealthy individuals would migrate and settle in clean and classy suburbs. While on the other hand, the poor employees would accommodate the challenges of crowding in urban areas with limited resources to maintain their life. It was survival for the fittest for the employees in the congested urban centers (Collins & Halverson, 2018). The inequality of living standards which was a result of the industrial revolution is the type of schools the citizens sent their children to study. The wealthy class primarily educated their children in high-class private schools. While on the other side, the less fortunate class of citizens would send their children to public-sponsored schools. The public schools were forced to accommodate several pupils who were even more than ten times the number of students in private schools (Liao et al., 2018).

Seclusion Depending on Social Class

At times, the working Americans would show their antipathy at having to forego their dignity, freedom, and independence for the sake of earning meager salaries to take care of their families. The wealthy class became arrogant to the needs of their poor class employees. The rich were not answerable to anyone, while the poor had to beg to be given an opportunity (Liao et al., 2018). The industrial revolution time also witnessed the emergence of middle-class people. The middle-class people enjoyed considerable benefits from the industrial revolution process. While the rich class would spend their time planning on how to accumulate more wealth, the middle class would entertain themselves in their homes or other entertainment spots in the city. Sports facilities, concert halls, and theaters were acknowledged to be entertainment resources for middle-class citizens. The wealthy class in America enhanced inequality in society by deciding on significant events within the state. The rich had the power to call for gatherings and pay for the protection of police officers (Stearns, 2018).

Gender Inequality

Industrialization also retarded equality in society through increased discrimination of women. During the industrial revolution period, women held the lowest rank in society (Stearns, 2018). Before the introduction of the industrial revolution, women held equal opportunities as men. Women were equal partners after the financial stability of their families. Women suffered in a variety of ways upon the onset of the industrial revolution. Women's labor was viewed as a product for exploitation. The inequality during the industrial revolution leads to women being offered the least paying jobs by wealthy individuals. The working environment where women worked from was worse compared to men. Women were further given hard tasks which caused them a lot of straining. The viewership of women as weaker gender leads to frequent bullying from their bosses. Women were also denied economic social or political rights outside their homestead (Tone, 2018).

Effect of Industrial Revolution on Liberty

Forced Duties to the Laborers

Apart from retarding democracy and equality in our society, the industrial revolution further slowed down the development of liberty in the United States of America. Employees had no choice when it came to working at the factories. The bosses had the final say on how the employees would work and for how long employees were expected to work (Tone, 2018). Lack of government intervention during the revolution led to the impediment of liberty among the poor employees. The employees who would question their bosses' orders could face the sack or be punished by working for extra hours compared to other employees (Landes, 2018).

Unequal Salaries among Employees

The salary which every employee within a business set up received depended on the boss' moods. The employees had no liberty to bargain their wages and working conditions. Furthermore, the employees had no specific resting day. Their working shifts varied depending on the type of management they were under during their contract (Stearns, 2018). Lack of liberty forced men to spend less of their time with their families. The results were weak family bonds as some women could offer themselves for marriage to nonworking citizens for the company.

Child Labor

In some regions, poor children had no choice of choosing between educations and working in textile companies. Before the beginning of the industrial revolution in America, children were allowed to socialize with others through schooling. At home, the children would be assigned a variety of minor tasks that were consummate with their ability and age. During the industrial revolution era, children were also absorbed into employment by the affluent class (Landes, 2018). Young children aged seven and above were recruited in the textile firms which primarily focused on the machines which wove clothes. Children had no liberty as they were forced into employment where they were often expected to output equally like elderly employees for...