Social Issues / Liberalism / Socialism

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Social Issues / Liberalism / Socialism

Week 51

You recognise a cause/effect of the Industrial Revolution in a historical source.

You explain the concept of social issues.

You explain the concepts of Liberalism and Socialism.

Consequences

Home Industry (done by farmers) can no longer compete against factories.

Workers move to the city: urbanisation

Cities grow very fast

Working conditions

• Boring (due to segmented division/running belt)

Long working days (14 hours a day)

Dangerous

No rights at all

Low wages (in case of mistakes: withhold wages)

Child Labour

• Cheap labour

They are still young: they are useful for a long time to come

They are cheaper

Their small hands can do better in places between machines

Living conditions

• Poor housing (built quickly so: hurry up...)

Properties that are not intended as dwellings (such as basement dwellings)

Close to factories

Poor sanitation, sewerage and water supplies

Social Issues (1)

• An issue is a problem

Workers' poor living and working conditions are evident.

Late 19th century.

Especially in the cities.

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Social Issues (2)

• 'The rich get richer, the poor get poorer'

Only 'the rich' get to vote

This keeps 'the rich' in power

Let op: De weekinkomsten van een mannelijke arbeider

was ongeveer 900 cent (9 gulden)

Who helps the workers? (1)

• Some manufacturers did give the workers some extras (sometimes also out of self-interest: a fitter worker works harder...)
• Workers go on strike: this only works if everyone goes on strike, and that was hard to sustain
• Workers start cooperating in unions.

Who helps the workers

The Netherlands has three main political groups: socialists, confessionals (Protestants and Catholics) and liberals. Sometimes the Catholics and Protestants are seen as separate groups.

These political groups all have different solutions to the Social Question, but also all have their own interests

Liberals

Night watchman state: government only provides order and security

Leave the economy completely free

Social laws cost too much money

Socialists

• Government must do all it can to protect workers

Better workers' conditions (including more pay)

To achieve this: fight for universal suffrage (including with strikes and demonstrations)

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Differences between liberalism and socialism

Liberalism	Socialism
Equality under the law	Equality in everyday life
competition leads to economic growth	Sharing of wealth & protect weak & poor
Mostly factory owners	Mostly labourers
Against voting rights for labourers	In favour of voting rights for labourers

From charity to social laws

• Poor Law (1854)

Van Houten's Children's Act (1874)

Compulsory Education Act (1900) 

Housing Act (1901),

Accident Act (1901)

Note: Usually benefits were very low and for short periods of time

Vóór de Woningwet...

...na de Woningwet