The Industrial Revolution

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1027928145

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-159926

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Cunningham, William http://d-nb.info/gnd/128907487

Title:: The Industrial Revolution

Place of publication:: Cambridge

Publisher:: The University Press

Year of publication:: 1922

Scope:: xxii S., S. 404-886

Digitisation:: 2021

Collection:: Economics Books

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612 LAISSEZ FAIRE that machinery would confer on England a monopoly of in- dustrial power so that she would be able to dictate her own terms to foreign purchasers, and to rear up a new exclusive system. The old ideas, which had given rise to the trade institu- in the tions of the Middle Ages, and which had continued to be vineteenh dominant in the seventeenth century, were not dead at the Parliament opening of the nineteenth century, but they no longer a. appealed either to the capitalist classes or to the intelligence with them, of Parliament. No authoritative attempt was made to recast the existing regulations so as to suit the changing conditions. To do so was not really practicable; only two courses lay open to the legislators. They could either forbid the intro- duction of machinery, as Charles I. had done, for fear that people would be thrown out of work, or they could smooth the way for the introduction of the new methods by removing the existing barriers. The House of Commons chose the latter alternative, since the members had come to regard ali efforts to prevent the use of mechanical appliances as alike futile and inexpedient. In the absence of any enforcement of the old restrictions, in regard to the hours and terms of employment, the difficulties of the transition were intensified; and the labourers, who had never been subjected to such misery under the old régime, agitated for the thorough ough enforcement of the Elizabethan laws. The working classes, the working ” v4 dasses for the most part? took their stand on the opinions as to we industrial policy which had been traditional in this country, for comer, and were embodied in existing legislation. To the demand Zgislation of the capitalist for perfect freedom for industrial progress, the labourers were inclined to reply by taking an attitude of impracticable conservatism; it was not till many years had elapsed, and freedom for economic enterprise had been secured, that serious attempts were made, from an entirely different point of view, to control the new industrial system so that ‘ts proved evils should be reduced to a minimum. The artisans were so much attached to the traditional methods of i See above, p. 295. 2 Ag an exception it may be noticed that Francis Place, who did so much to pring the evidence of working men to the front on particular issues, such as the Jombination Laws, had no sympathy with the views of the class from which he had risen on the general policy which should be pursued. A.D. 1776 —1850.

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