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

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

THE HUMANITARIANS AND ROBERT OWEN 753 possibility of so moulding the characters of individuals that A.D. 177 they might find personal happiness in conduct which con- 18% duces to the common good, and he supported his principles by facts drawn from experience among his own workmen. For the next ten years the arrangements and organisation at New Lanark attracted thousands of visitors ; as Owen appeared to have demonstrated the possibility of providing the best conditions for the training of children, and bringing elevating influences to bear on the hands, in connection with the work- ing of a large mill. The success which was due to his in man- personal business ability, he himself regarded as testifying to i. the wisdom of his doctrines; his desire to give them more Gontnibute thorough effect, led to differences with his partner, and in 1829 he severed his connection with New Lanark. From this time he became more of a dreamer and lost much of the remarkable influence he had exercised; the failure of ex- periments to organise establishments on his principles at Orbiston?, and at New Harmony? in Indiana, discredited him still farther; but the impression created by his work at New Lanark had been invaluable in convincing the public that deliberate attempts to improve the condition of the operatives were far from hopeless. Others were inspired to emulate his example, and it is hardly possible to exaggerate the effect of the impulse he gave to the work of social amelioration. His influence was felt in many ways, but it was in connection with factory reform that it proved most potent. He did not attempt to adapt the system of by-gone to ere days to the needs of the present?, but he boldly made a new operatives departure, in the hope of introducing an infinitely better character. future. The improvement of character was the aim he put chiefly before him, but, as a means to that end, he became the pioneer of industrial reform. He fought all the evils of the day,—the stunting of children in mind and body, insani- tary conditions of work and life, and truck ; he demonstrated men. A New View of Society or Essays on the principles of the formation of the Human Character preparatory to the development of a plan for gradually ameliorating the condition of Mankind. First published in 1813 (1816), 19. 1 This was conducted, after 1826, on communistic principles. 2 Booth, Robert Owen, 97—104. 3 As had been done in the first Factory Act. See above, p. 631.

Access restriction

Copyright

fullscreen: The Industrial Revolution

Monograph

Table of contents

Download

Monograph

This page

Image fragment

Citation links

Citation recommendation