Social Issues / Liberalism / Socialism

• Geschiedenis
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

Social Issues / Liberalism / Socialism

Week 22

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 labour )

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 than men and women
• 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.

• 
  

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)

Name at least 3 examples of poor working conditions of workers.

Name some examples of the poor living conditions of the workers.

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.

• France becomes a republic again
• In The Hague the king fears for his life
• So, in 1848, King Willem II turns from a conservative into a liberal overnight.

liberals & socialists: main differences:

       LIBERALS:

• NO change! 
• Freedom is the most important value
• Focus on the individual freedom

       SOCIALISTS:

• Change!
• Equality is the most important value
• Focus on equality between rich and poor

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

Before the "woningwet"

...After the "woningwet"