CH4 sec. 4.4 Workers fight for equal rights

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• Middelbare school
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• Leerjaar 2

Memo h/v 2 TTO

CH4 The age of citizens and steam engines

The Industrial Revolution

sec. 4.4 Workers fight for their rights

Learning objectives

Learning objectives 4.4

• I can explain how and when the Netherlands became an industrial society.
• I can explain what socialism is and why there were two groups of socialists.
• I can explain what a social law is, and give an example.

The industrial revolution in the Netherlands

Second half of the 19th century 

industrialization of the Netherlands.

• Introduction of steam engine
• Improvements in agriculture  (mechanisation and expansion of agricultural area)

• Textile mills and factories for the processing of agricultural products.
• Around 1890 heavy industry: engineering and shipbuilding
  

The industrial revolution in the Netherlands

Improvements in infrastructure stimulated trade (especially with Germany)

• Port of Rotterdam
• Expansion of railroad network
• Construction of wider waterways and canals (Noordzeekanaal en Nieuwe Waterweg)

End of 19th century, coal mines in Zuid-Limburg opened.

Industrialisation led to urbanization.

The industrial revolution in the Netherlands

• Men, women and children worked in factories
• Low wages and poor working conditions
• The poorest people, the sick and the unemployed depended on charity for food and clothes (family, Church & rich citizens).
  
• Social question = Problem of poverty and the bad living and working conditions of the workers because of the Industrial Revolution.

The industrial revolution in the Netherlands

The Netherlands had become a class society with a lot of inequality.

Some citizens thought the inequality in the class society was wrong.

A small group of factory owners was very wealthy and owned capital (natural resources, money, machines, factories). They made a lot of profits while workers only received a very low wage.

The industrial revolution in the Netherlands

In 1848 a small group of rich men (bourgeoisie) received the right to vote. (limited suffrage).

Voted for liberals. Wanted economic liberty (trade and industry). Against government involvement (rules and regulations).

Capitalism = An economic system in which everything revolves around money.  Land and factories are owned by businessmen who try to make as much profit as possible.

Workers tried to improve their situation:

• Workers started to unite in trade unions:

An association of people with a particular occupation that supports the rights of workers and fights for better working conditions.

• Trade unions fought for higher wages,   

shorter working days and a ban on child  labor.

• They used strikes and demonstrations  to

force the factory owner to improve the

situation.

• Trade unions were first illegal and couldn't solve all problems.

Who would help you if you were a poor worker in the 19th century?

1. government, Church and rich citizens
2. government, Church and family
3. government, rich citizens and family
4. family, Church and rich citizens

How did workers try to improve their situation?

1. They started a revolution.
2. They demonstrated and organised strikes.
3. They set up political parties.

Socialism

Lower classes had no say in government. 

Around 1850 > rise of socialism

Socialism = A political movement that wants to put an end to the 

exploitation of workers by business owners. Focuses on equality.

Founder is Karl Marx. Wrote 'Das Kapital' and the 'Communist 

Manifesto' (with Friedrich Engels)

Two forms of socialism:

• communism
• social democracy 
  

Socialism against capitalism

Communism

• Class struggle between rich and poor. 
• Workers will seize power in violent revolution.  
• Inequality abolished. Classless society.
• Means of production like money, land and factories will be owned

by the state.

• State takes care of a fair distribution of goods  among the people.

Communism = Movement in socialism which aims to give labourers control through a revolution, thus creating a classless society.

Socialism against capitalism

Social democracy 

• Moderate movement
• No class struggle or revolution
• Improve living and working conditions of workers
• Drafting social laws in parliament 
  

Social democracy = Moderate socialist movement that wants to 

improve the working and living conditions of workers via laws 

in parliament, not through a revolution.

The first social laws

• 1881 First socialist political party (SDB). First elected 

Dutch socialist was Domela Nieuwenhuis  (hardly any influence).

• Social democrats wanted expansion of suffrage. More 

political influence workers. 

• In 1894 Sociaaldemocratische Arbeiderspartij (SDAP)  

founded (leader Troelstra).  Dependent on other parties.

• Suffrage (=kiesrecht) was gradually expanded. 
• In 1917 universal suffrage for men. 
• In 1919 universal suffrage for women 

The first social laws

After 1870 Liberals and socialist worked together to improve the situation of workers.

Two reasons:

• The terrible situation of the workers
• The strikes and demonstrations. Liberals didn't want more unrest.

Example of social laws:

1874 Children's Act (Kinderwet van Van Houten)

Around 1900 the living and working conditions of workers had gradually improved.

What doesn't match communism?

1. class society
2. improving the living and working conditions of the workers
3. private ownership would be abolished
4. revolution

What doesn't match social democracy?

1. change through laws in parliament
2. improving the living and working conditions of the workers
3. moderate group
4. revolution

What's not a way in which socialists tried to solve the social question?

1. They set up political parties.
2. They fought for limited suffrage.
3. They made social laws together with the liberals.
4. They fought for universal suffrage.

Learning objectives

Learning objectives 4.4

• I can explain how and when the Netherlands became an industrial society.
• I can explain what socialism is and why there were two groups of socialists.
• I can explain what a social law is, and give an example.

Get to work

What? See whiteboard.

How? Alone 

Help? Ask neighbour. Can't figure it out? Ask teacher. 

Time? Until the end of the lesson. 

Done? Learn terms and dates. Ask teacher.