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Originally posted by Tman144
My BS meter just went off the chart there. The industrial revolution didn't improve the quality of life for everyone, only the rich had their quality of life improved.
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Maybe you should get your little BS meter recalibrated.
To suggest that the technological and scientific advances that came about during the industrial revolution did not improve the quality of life for the average worker is to ignore the economic realities of the time.
Start with the invention of the steam engine, and the incredible mobility it gave to everyone once mass transit was introduced. Then consider Henry Ford's assembly line, which resulted in the manufacture of cars, ambulances, and fire engines that worked better than anything anyone had ever seen, and were also vastly more affordable.
I could go on and on, but why bother? Countless volumes have already been written on the subject, and it's pretty apparent how technological and scientific progress improves the standards of living for everyone.
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Meanwhile the rest of the population was forced to work long hours in factories for little pay and live in crowded tenaments.
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Forced, huh? Forced labor is slavery, pal. We didn't have that during the industrial revolution and we don't have it now either. And please try not to confuse the industrial revolution with the great depression, OK?
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You think that unions were formed because all of the workers were living in plush apartments thinking of ways to steal their employers money? No, unions were formed because people wanted to be payed enough so that their kids could eat and go to school.
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I'll be blunt. Unions were formed because they created a means by which workers were able to get more than they deserved.
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Increased productivity does mean a better quality of life on behalf of the working class. When companies can produce more per worker, know what they do? They stop hiring workers. They don't pass the savings on down the line, they pocket it and pay the workers enough so that they don't die.
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False. Companies in a competitive free market environment do not seek stasis, they seek growth. I showed in a previous post what comes about as a result of increased productivity. Since you ignored it then, I'll present it for you once again:
Productivity and efficiency gains translate into increased profitability, and/or lower prices for consumers
Increased profitability creates greater growth opportunities, while lower prices creates greater consumer buying power
Increased consumer buying power increases demand for products and service
Growth opportunities and increased demand for products and services lead to a greater demand for labor
Greater demand for labor leads to increased hiring and higher wages
Higher wages leads to higher disposable income levels and increased personal spending
Increased personal spending results in more economic growth opportunities
Growth opportunities lead to greater demand for labor
Greater demand for labor lead to increased hiring and higher wages
And so on...
If you want to see the big picture you will need to think well beyond the first factor in this vast economic equation.