APWH05.08_IndustrialReactions_Slides

UNIT 5: REVOLUTIONS (c. 1750-1900)

TOPIC 5.8: REACTIONS to the INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY

1) Reform in Great Britain

Calls for Reform

• Industrial capitalism prompted a spectrum of reforms affecting political structures, social conditions, and educational systems due to growing awareness of workers' rights.

• As the industrial working class gained political influence, calls for expanded suffrage emerged, resulting in significant reforms by 1918 when property qualifications for voting were abolished.

• John Stuart Mill, a prominent philosopher, emphasized individual freedom and the need for representative government in his landmark work "On Liberty," arguing that society should empower individual rights.

• The philosophy of Utilitarianism, championed by Mill and Jeremy Bentham, inspired reforms aimed at achieving the greatest happiness for the greatest number, leading to landmark legislation such as child labor laws that sought to protect vulnerable children and the introduction of mandatory education laws established in 1881 for children aged 5-10.

Unions

• In response to poor working conditions, workers began organizing into labor unions, which fought for better wages, safe work environments, and reasonable hours.

• Initial government hostility towards unions was marked by the Combination Acts of 1799 and 1800, which criminalized union activities and strikes, suppressing workers' efforts for collective bargaining.

• Continuous pressure from the public and labor movements led to the repeal of these restrictions with the Trade Union Act of 1871, allowing unions to operate legally and form the foundation for further protective legislation.

2) Karl Marx

• Karl Marx provided a critical analysis of capitalism, illuminating the class inequalities exacerbated by industrialization and highlighting the exploitation of the proletariat (working class) by the bourgeoisie (capitalist class).

• Marx envisioned a revolutionary transformation of society toward a classless structure, advocating for collective ownership of the means of production as a solution to capitalist oppression.

• His influential writings, including "The Communist Manifesto" (1848), which called for workers of the world to unite, and "Das Kapital," which critiqued capitalist economies and laid the groundwork for Marxist theory, inspired widespread revolutionary movements and the emergence of various socialist ideologies seeking ownership and distribution reforms.

3) Ottoman Response to Industrialization

Sultan Mahmud II

• Sultan Mahmud II recognized the need for modernization in response to European industrialization; his actions included abolishing the Janissaries in 1826, marking the shift from traditional military structures towards a more modern military.

• He implemented policies to centralize land ownership and strengthen governmental authority, aiming to increase efficiency and reduce corruption in the administration.

Tanzimat

• The Tanzimat reforms (1839-1876) were a series of initiatives to modernize the Ottoman Empire and combat widespread corruption.

• Key reforms included the introduction of secular education, the establishment of legal equality decrees (e.g., the Hatt-i Humayun in 1856), which aimed to grant citizens equal rights irrespective of religion, and an attempt to secularize the administration.

• Despite these reforms, advancements in women's rights were minimal, and traditional societal structures remained largely intact.

Sultan Abdulhamid II

• The reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II (1876-1909) was characterized by a retreat from reform and the suppression of dissent, particularly against groups seeking to challenge the status quo, such as the Young Turks.

• He retracted some Tanzimat reforms and imposed a more autocratic rule, stifling political freedoms and instigating a climate of fear regarding reformist ideas.

4) Reform Efforts in China

Self-Strengthening Movement

• The Self-Strengthening Movement, initiated in response to Western encroachment and military setbacks, aimed at modernizing China’s military and industries through adopting Western technologies and practices while retaining Confucian values.

• Policies included establishing arsenals, shipyards, and educational institutes to train military and technical personnel to bolster China’s defense capabilities.

Dowager Cixi

• Dowager Empress Cixi was a conservative force opposing significant reforms; her rise to power culminated in the coup against reformist leaders during the Hundred Days of Reform (1898) that sought to implement radical changes.

• In 1905, Cixi abolished the civil service exam, today viewed as a response to prevalent corruption, but undermined educational reforms leading to an educated elite that could challenge her authority.

5) Resistance to Reform in Japan

• The abolition of the samurai class during the Meiji Restoration (1868) generated significant backlash from traditionalists who challenged the newly emerging leadership’s authority.

• Political and societal resistance delayed some reforms aimed at modernizing Japan's military and governance, though progress was made in education and advancements in the press.

• Over time, Japan successfully embraced reforms, becoming a powerful nation by transitioning into an industrial state.

6) Key Takeaways

• Reforms evolved in direct response to the pressures of industrial capitalism, labor movements, and the various governmental reactions across different regions.

• Movements reflected complexities of societal change, ranging from active support and implementation of modernization to fierce resistance against reform efforts, highlighting the multifaceted nature of global development during this period.