Working Class vs Middle Class Flashcards

Working Class

• Defines the social group employed for wages, primarily in manual or industrial roles such as factories, mines, and textile mills.
• Experiences significant pollution exposure, including coal dust, lint, machine noise, and general air pollution.

Labor Union Reasons

• Driven by long working hours, low pay, and unsafe working conditions.

Working Conditions for Working Class

• Jobs primarily include mines, factories, and textile mills.
• Conditions characterized by long hours, low wages, and lack of safety measures such as insurance, safety equipment, and proper lighting.

Working Class: Women's and Children's Roles

• Children started working as young as age 5; received minimal pay while often missing school.
• Women worked full days and then managed household tasks, earning about half of men's wages.

Living Conditions of the Working Class

• Resided in tenements close to factories and mines with inadequate infrastructure.
• Lacked essential services like police and fire protection, safe buildings, and clean drinking water, resulting in overcrowded and unsafe environments.

Middle Class Working Conditions

• Composed of professionals (doctors, lawyers, teachers), factory owners, and entrepreneurs.
• Manufacturers often prioritized profits over employee welfare, embodying capitalist motives.

Middle Class Housing and Family Life

• Families lived on city outskirts, away from pollution; transportation evolved to include carriages and electric trolleys.
• Women maintained the household while children attended school, promoting family stability.

Social Changes: Socialism and Communism

• Socialism advocates for the collective ownership of resources by the poor, while communism, influenced by Karl Marx, calls for workers to rebel against owners, with government control over wealth.

Labor Unions and Collective Bargaining

• Formed by workers facing poor conditions, these unions aimed for collective bargaining for better pay, shorter hours, and elimination of child labor.
• Utilized strikes and work slowdowns as methods of protest.

Urban Renewal and Mutual Aid Societies

• Urban renewal projects aimed at revitalizing poor areas improved public health and safety with better infrastructure.
• Mutual aid societies provided support for the sick and injured, contributing to community welfare.

Causes of the Industrial Revolution

• Increased agricultural productivity through new tools led to food surpluses and population growth.
• Advances in energy sources (coal, steam), demand for mass-produced goods, improved technology, and stable governments fostered economic growth.

Effects of the Industrial Revolution: Social

• Resulted in the rise of factories, urbanization, and significant challenges like child labor, but also led to the formation of the middle class and labor unions.
• Innovations in transportation and communication alongside medical advancements improved overall living standards.

Effects of the Industrial Revolution: Economic

• Introduced assembly lines and mass production, lowering goods prices and increasing job demands.
• Shifted economies from rural to industrial, creating competition among nations and rising monopolies in big business.

Effects of the Industrial Revolution: Political

• Governmental changes reflecting increased industrialization and growing labor movements, influencing policy and economic structures.