Systemic Inequality and the Enduring Struggle of the Working Class

During the 18th century, the industrial revolution created a period of economic progression, but also created social challenges. People wanted to improve their livelihoods and lifestyle. The industrial era brought about a period where new machines and factories transitioned agrarian societies that focused on agriculture and farming to urbanized communities, focused on production of goods and services. People left Europe in the hopes of new opportunities but were faced with new challenges - cramped homes, unsanitary living conditions, and unreasonable working conditions. For a long time, laborers from around the world have not been treated fairly and experienced long working hours, received low payment, and unsafe jobs, which unfortunately still happens today. From the times during the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and even in modern times, inequality continues to be an ongoing enduring issue, where inequality continues to be a continuing challenge affecting societies throughout history and is still relevant today. While some people think working conditions have improved today, many workers still have hard jobs and receive unfair treatment. Although some argue that labor laws and technology have improved workplace conditions, inequality in working conditions remains an enduring issue because of unfair labor practices, exploitation, and the focus of profit over the welfare of the working class, affecting societies from the 18th century to the present day.

The enduring issue of inequality is evident in the Sadler Report, which documents the exploitation of the working class during the British Industrial Revolution. During this period, England transitioned from an urbanized community to a manufacturing economy. Under a laissez-faire system, the government had little to no regulations to protect the laborers. Poor families, including children, worked there because they needed money. They endured long hours in unsafe conditions. Given that they were desperate for income, they were forced to work in hazardous environments where there were not many rules to protect them resulting in factory owners having more power.  One worker explained that he worked “from five in the morning to nine in the evening” highlighting the enduring issue of mistreated and unfair working conditions, while factory owners became rich. Many children were beaten or hurt if they could not keep up with the machines. Workers had little power and could not easily improve their lives showing that inequality existed between the rich factory owners and the poor workers. As a result, the enduring issue of inequality changed the lives of factory workers by causing suffering and unfair treatment.

In the early 1900s, many workers had very hard jobs and not enough money. The enduring issue of inequality is demonstrated in the early twentieth century in August Sander’s photograph of a German bricklayer. In the early 1900s, the working-class citizens in Europe endured harsh manual labor but received very little in return. In the picture, the man is carrying heavy bricks on his shoulders showing how hard his work was, leaving him physically exhausted and tired. Workers had difficult lives while richer people lived more comfortably as shown in Document 2, the Sadler Report, where factory workers worked long hours in unsafe places. Both show that workers were treated unfairly and that inequality continued over time. This shows that inequality continued over time. Sander documents the challenges that people face through his project, "People of the Twentieth Century". However, his content might have been faced with backlash, how work accurately shows how hard ordinary laborers worked. The enduring issue of inequality is not only a daily suffering but a big  issue that has long remained unresolved.

Similar to how inequality caused the French bread riots and the Luddite protests, the enduring issue of inequality continues into the modern era, specifically regarding the Foxconn factory riot in China. In modern China, migrant laborers endured intense economic pressures and oppression. Factory workers faced poor working conditions and economic pressure while large companies earned huge profits. In Document 1 (Foxconn factory riot), journalist William Wan reported that the labor unrest was caused by “poor work conditions among the country’s vast pool of migrant workers.” This shows workers were treated unfairly and forced to work under difficult conditions. This evidence showed the seriousness of the enduring issue that despite living in a technologically advanced era, the struggle between profit and human dignity has not been unresolved. Workers resorted to riots and labor strikes because they needed better treatment and opportunities. This connects to Document 2 (Sadler Report) because workers during the Industrial Revolution also faced long hours and unsafe conditions while in Document 3 (August Sander’s photograph), workers still had hard and exhausting jobs even years later. As a result, the enduring issue of inequality changed over time but still exists today. Manual labor remains to be physically exhausting and the documents recognize that the voices of migrant workers provide an essential and reliable source of information to show how industrial capitalism, even today, continues to oppress vulnerable populations in society.

Some people may argue that the enduring issue emphasized in these documents is not inequality, but rather just economic hardship. They think the main problem is that people were poor, had high prices, and had hard jobs. Some view that the fundamental crisis issue across these eras was the economic issues that resulted in poverty, inflated prices, and grueling labor. For example, in Document 2 (Sadler Report), workers had long hours and low pay, which shows they were struggling to survive, emphasizing that laborers endured exhausting hours and low pay, their desperate struggle for basic survival. Also, in Document 1 (Foxconn factory riot), workers had poor conditions and not enough money showing that economic hardship was a big problem for workers. Migrant laborers faced hard  conditions and severe financial problems  From this perspective, economic hardship appears to be the most relevant obstacle that the working class faced. Nevertheless, this argument is not correct because economic hardship is actually a result of inequality. The argument of economic issues fails to recognize that economic hardship is a result from inequality due to an imbalance of power and wealth.In Document 2 (the Sadler Report), factory owners made profits while workers suffered long hours and unsafe conditions. In Document 3 (August Sander’s photograph of a brick worker), the worker is shown doing hard labor while others lived more comfortably. These documents show that workers were treated unfairly compared to the rich, proving that inequality is the main issue. Ultimately, these documents prove that workers were not just poor immigrants, but were systematically marginalized. Therefore, systemic inequality remains the true root cause which continues to be a continuous struggle.

In conclusion, these documents reveal that the enduring issue of inequality has continued throughout different eras and has impacted those who are marginalized.The enduring issue of inequality has stayed the same over the course of the Industrial Revolution, the early 1900s, and modern times. During the course of this time period, the enduring issue of inequality stayed the same in the sense that poor workers were treated unfairly, worked long hours, and had hard and unsafe jobs while rich people had more power and money. Laborers consistently endured systematic exploitation, facing tough hours, substandard wages, and hazardous environments while a wealthy elite continued to thrive. Workers in all the documents struggled to improve their lives and did not have many rights. However, the enduring issue of inequality changed dramatically because over time workers began to protest, speak up, and improve working conditions and fair treatment.Therefore, while the struggle for labor rights has successfully resulted in safer workplaces and stronger protections, the continuous fight against inequality remains an ongoing challenge in contemporary society.

DOCUMENT 1:

In this document, historian Michael R. Lynn explains that the issues that were caused due to the increased prices of bread as a result of the French Revolution became violent. In 1789, bad weather destroyed crops and caused economic problems. Because poor people (the Third Estate) could not afford food to survive, they began searching for grain and weapons. They were desperate which led to the Bastille. The main theme here is economic inequality. The poor were starving while the wealthy were saving grain. When people don’t have basic needs, it can lead to violence. The author’s goal is to teach readers how money and food shortages affect social, economic, and political change. The source is reliable because it uses historical records of the grain riots which explain the revolution. Ultimately, this document shows that inequality is an enduring issue, proving that when a government fails to share resources fairly, people's desperation will spark a revolution.`qa

DOCUMENT 2:

In this document, Richard Conniff describes the Luddite movement and the poverty faced by British cloth workers in the early 1800s. The Luddites smashed factory machines to protest job losses and low wages caused by the Industrial Revolution. In 1811, food was scarce and new factories started choosing machine efficiency over human lives. Poor workers had no power, while wealthy factory owners were supported by the government that made breaking machines a crime punishable by death. Unfair systems took advantage of the working class, forcing desperate people to use violent protests when their survival was threatened. The author's goal was to show a modern audience that the Luddites were victims of government and corporate violence. The text uses real facts about the riots and the author shows some bias because he tries to make readers sympathize with the workers. He makes the actions of the rioters seem like a logical response to suffering. This source proves that inequality is an enduring issue by showing how rapid industrial growth can make the rich wealthier while leaving ordinary workers in desperate poverty.

DOCUMENT 3:

In this document, the Sadler Report shows a contrast between the terrible stories of child workers and the excuses made by factory owners during the British Industrial Revolution. The main idea is the extreme physical damage caused by factories, including 16-hour workdays, beatings, and permanent physical deformities, like those suffered by William Kenworthy. In the early 1830s, Great Britain was industrializing and Parliament began investigating the human costs of unregulated business. The main theme here is systemic inequality where poor workers sacrificed their health and safety making wealthy factory owners richer. Unfair systems exploit vulnerable people, like children, who have no political or economic power to fight back. The document was put together by a government committee led by Michael Sadler, whose goal was to gather evidence to pass new laws limiting factory hours. This happened because the public was angry about child labor, though factory owners fought back using laissez-faire ideas. Dr. Andrew Ure claimed factory work was as easy and pleasant while the testimonies give reliable first-hand proof of abuse, both sides show bias. The workers emphasized their extreme suffering to force the government to make changes, while owners biased their statements by denying the truth to protect their profits. Ultimately, this source proves that inequality is an enduring issue by showing how the wealthy elite intentionally ignored the suffering of poor people to keep things exactly as they were.

DOCUMENT 4:

In this document, the illustration "Attack on a Potato Store" shows the 1842 Galway Starvation Riots, where a desperate crowd of poor Irish people attacked food warehouses because of extreme hunger. The main idea is that the system's failure to provide food forced the most vulnerable people such as women, children, and local fishermen. They had to fight armed authorities, including the local sheriff and soldiers, just to survive. In June 1842, three years before the Great Irish Potato Famine, Ireland was already suffering from severe economic problems and food shortages under British rule. The main theme here is inequality: ordinary Irish peasants were starving while food was locked away in warehouses guarded by the government. This supports the thesis that unfair systems prioritize property over human life, forcing desperate people into violent conflicts with the state. The document was published by The Illustrated London News to inform middle-class British readers about the unrest in Ireland, though it frames the event as a scary spectacle. This happened during a month-long wait for the next harvest when the poor had no relief from their misery. While the account gives real facts about the riots in Galway and Loughrea, it shows bias by calling the crowd "formidable" and describing their actions as "plunder." This reflects the perspective of a wealthy, distant observer rather than the actual experience of the starving people. Ultimately, this source proves that inequality is an enduring issue by showing how the unfair distribution of basic resources completely breaks down civil order.

DOCUMENT 5:

In this document, the photograph shows a bricklayer from August Sander's project, People of the Twentieth Century. His goal was to capture all types of German professions and social classes through portraits. The main idea is to show the dignity and reality of the working class, showing their hard work as a vital part of society. In the early 20th century, especially during the Weimar Republic, Germany was divided by deep social classes and political tension. The main theme here is inequality: the project aimed to give a voice to all citizens regardless of their status. However, in 1936, the Nazi government banned his work and destroyed his photo plates because the workers did not fit their "ideal Aryan" look. This shows how radical social and racial inequality can be forced upon a society. This connects to the thesis that unfair systems are often maintained by rulers who erase or look down on people who do not fit an "ideal" standard. August Sander's goal was to create a complete historical record of humanity. This happened during the rise of the Nazi party, which saw realistic pictures of ordinary people as a threat to their strict racial ideas. While the account gives real facts about the project's history, Sander shows a stylistic bias by using dramatic lighting to make his subjects look important. He did this on purpose to elevate the status of poor workers who were normally ignored by society. Ultimately, this source proves that inequality is an enduring issue by showing how simply photographing the poor can be a form of protest against unfair governments.

DOCUMENT 6:

In this document, an article by William Wan for The Washington Post, the author reports on a 2012 factory riot at a Foxconn facility in northern China involving 2,000 migrant workers. The main idea is that the riot was caused by extreme financial pressure, poor working conditions, and the growing frustration of younger, better-educated workers whose hopes for a better life clashed with the extreme demands of building global electronics. In the early 2010s, this event happened during a slowdown in the Chinese economy and the high-pressure launch of the iPhone 5. This context shows how the global demand for fast technology exploits ordinary laborers. The main theme here is inequality: a huge change existed between the massive wealth earned by global corporations and the harsh, stagnant reality of the workers who made those products. This supports the thesis that unfair systems still exist today because factories push workers harder to meet global consumer demands, leading to protests when a worker's dignity and education are ignored. William Wan wrote this report to show a global audience the human cost of their technology and to document how worker anger in China affects the global supply chain. This happened at a time when a shrinking labor force in China began demanding better treatment, not just higher wages. While the article provides real facts and expert quotes about the riot, the author shows a slight bias by framing the workers' violent reaction as "inevitable." He chooses to focus on a labor-rights viewpoint rather than the company's perspective.  this source proves that inequality is an enduring issue by showing that even in a modern, high-tech society, exploiting the working class still triggers violent conflict.