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.