Thoughts and Reflections on Dynasty and Destiny

     Innovation and adaptation are central in most industries in order to meet the needs of consumers and maintain a customer base. This, coupled with mass production and affordability, formed the basis for the American automobile Industry. With Ford promptly stepping up to show everyone how it's done (even if he lacked innovation in his later years), others soon caught on. This set the industry on the somewhat circular path from the early 20th century to present day. One aspect of the industry which has shifted over the past century or so has been the number of U.S. companies producing automobiles. The industry went from having around twenty companies manufacturing cars in its fledgling years to just three controlling 90% of the market. But perhaps the formation of conglomerates was inevitable, what with the constant buying, selling, and folding in of companies. Another significant change that occurred as the automobile market developed was the variety found in models. At first, companies (namely Ford) produced whatever could be manufactured wuickly with little cost. This business model in the U.S. changed with the variety offered by General Motors with their different vehicle lines. But despite their initial success, the conglomerates controlling the industry were not without their challenges. These challenges came, partly, in the form of the Union Auto Workers, who demanded to be recognized by the auto corporations. After the Sit-Down Strike of 1937, GM agreed to their terms, allowing the union to get a foot in the door. The fact the that the Union was eventually recognized by the big three meant that they could, if necessary, keep the companies in check and ensure that employees were treated fairly. 

Thoughts and reflections on Hard Times

     There seem to be many common themes brought up by critics of the Industrial Revolution. Charles Dickens, in his novel Hard Times, hits some of the main points also brought up by Friedrich Engles in his essay Conditions of the Working Class in England. Both authors (though Dickens to a lesser extent) discuss the environmental problems which plague areas with heavy industrialization. They also cover the topic of the loss of identity felt by factory workers. According to Engles, this problem stems from women taking on the role of men. When everything that makes a man (particularly the ability to provide for one's family) is taken away, nothing is left to identify him by. Dickens attributes the problem to the sheer monotony of the day to day lives of the working class. Whatever the cause, it is clear that it was a tangible problem to those who studied the subject. Both authors also seemed concerned with the demanding work hours set by the factories. Dickens in particular seems to recognize the the necessity for some relief or holiday for the workers, whereas Engles just mentions the hours as another facet of the overall problem. 

Tea Presentation

Link to video (may not work in chrome): http://youtu.be/dnu8RnCASUM

Script: 

Ryan- Hi and welcome to “Leaf Juice”, I am your host Ryan Otto, and Today we have a very special guest Sir. Rupert Wallis Fittleworth the 3rd, who is going to talk about the history of tea. So please give him a warm welcome.

Ben- Thank you so much for having me.

Ryan- Could you just give us an overview of Britain’s relationship with China?

Ben- Of course. So China and Britain were really never the best of friends, Britain was really just using China to make money. China was always a very isolated country, so they were reluctant to allow trade with other nations such as Britain. But after the first Opium War Britain made China sign a treaty allowing for more extensive trade.

Ryan- You mentioned the Opium War and how it affected trade and China. Would you mind expounding upon this idea?

Ben- Certainly. In 1839 the Chinese government issued a ban on Opium which the British objected to. In order to preserve its lucrative trade arrangements with China, Britain resorted to military action. Their superior technology such as the musket resulted in a decisive victory, and Britain forced China to sign a treaty allowing for more extensive trade. This ensured that England had a steady supply of tea before it moved production to India.

Ryan- Why did Britain want to shift production of their tea?     

   

Ben- Part of it was just that Britain wanted an independent source of tea. The other part was that the East India Company had lost its monopoly on China in 1834. The company knew that whoever managed to grow tea outside of China would have a huge market. With this in mind, the East India Company began to search for places in which they could cultivate tea of their own. They eventually found land in which they could cultivate on in Assam, India. As it turned out the Himalayas actually contained better conditions, such as climate and soil, in which created better tasting tea.

Ryan- What impact did this shift have on China?

Ben- Given the high number of tea farmers in China, it dealt a huge blow to China's already unstable economy. Just to provide some perspective on the issue, China sold Britain 31 tons of tea in 1859. In forty years, that figure fell to 7 thousand.

Ryan- how was Britain able to grow tea in India in the first place? Wasn't China very secretive about the process?

Ben- Yes, they were. The East India Company sent Robert Fortune to collect samples of tea and learn the processes behind it.

Ryan- Alright, looks like that's all the time we have for today. Let's all give a big hand to Sir Rupert Wallis Fittleworth III.

Thoughts and Reflections on Conditions of the Working Class in England

     The Industrial Revolution caused a voice of dissent to arise from many who observed the new urban living conditions. Notable among those speaking out was Friedrich Engels, a German socialist and contemporary of Marx. Engels' opposition to the new living conditions of the working class stemmed partly from the impact they had on family life and partly from the inhumane conditions themselves. He was particularly against the growing trend of working mothers, claiming that it created an environment of distance and isolation for the children. Not only that, but Engels goes so far as to suggest that a household provided for by the mother while the father sits at home and sews is distinctly unnatural, and the the mere existence of such scenarios is indicative of the inherent and fundamental flaws with the cultural shift that factories have brought about. He also considered the idea of working children appalling, implying that homes should be unconditional instead of worked for. Engels' other problem was the condition of the average worker. With cramped quarters, unclean air, and deplorable food, he claimed that the standard of living had been decreased as a result of the Industrial Revolution. 

Thought and Reflections on We Make More and Live Better

     This chapter, as the title implies, discusses the paradigm shift from the more traditional agrarian lifestyle where most people had only what they needed to survive to the more consumer-oriented modern age through the Industrial Revolution. This ultimately led to better living conditions for the working class. Many of those who were working on small farms to sustain their families entered the workforce as unskilled workers in factories. The Industrial Revolution arose as the result of a higher demand for manufactured goods, particularly in Britain. Britain had several advantages when it came to manufacturing and innovation. First, it was sitting on massive coal deposits, which could be used a relatively efficient fuel source. Secondly, due to the nation's parliamentary system as opposed to an absolute monarchy, the political climate was ideal for innovation. Britain also had a need for more material goods on a much larger scale due to its rapidly expanding middle class, which gave a profit incentive for new and efficient ways of production.