THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
CHILD LABOUR
During the Industrial Revolution, child labour reached new extremes. Children often worked long hours in dangerous conditions and would be paid very little money for awfully long hours.
This occurred as children were extremely useful because their size allowed them to move in small spaces in factories or mines where adults couldn’t fit, children were easier to manage and control, were able to work longer without fatigue and children could be paid less than adults. Child labourers often worked to help support their families, but most had little to no education. Children weren’t able to live an average life as they spent most hours working in factories.
Cause:
Children were made to work to support their families as most were poor and the children were easily employed as they were extremely useful but were able to be paid less than adults. With the introduction of machinery, especially in the textile industry, meant that experienced and skilled workers were no longer needed.
Effect:
Child labour meant that most children weren’t able to have an education or any friends. Children weren’t able to acquire skills and were only taught how to use machinery, farm or sew, etc.. Most families were able to have the bare necessities because of the child labourers but that also meant that the parents weren’t able to bond with their children and give them the life they need growing up.​
Since children worked extremely long hours, they would often become sick and were unable to afford medicine and get help from doctors. This could lead to deadly diseases and worst case scenario, death.
Long Term Effect:
In some third world countries today, underage children are still forced to work excessively to support their families. Many other countries do not make children work but it does still go on in today’s society. Although child labour isn’t found everywhere, the instances where it does occur are extremely dangerous places and the children are in terrible condition and are forced to do hard labour for the benefit of someone else.