Commentary: The Industrial Revolution

Résumé du document

As Queen Victoria's era appeared to have forged the image of an English Golden Age when she proclaimed, for instance, to the British Foreign Secretary during the Boer War «We're not interested in the possibilities of defeat, they just do not exist», the Industrial Revolution in England starting from about 1780s to the mid 1840s has been depicted, just alike, as a decisive period of the English economical progress.

Extraits

[...] This strongly Dickens' like essay is more relevant than any other litterate treasury. Because this one is real. However, its main strength lies in the feelings that those lines arose in the readers' hearts. The philosopher tends to achieve another aim, which is to make his readers feel outraged just like he does. As a young observer- Engels is supposed to be 24- he frequently uses the first person pronoun everywhere using expressions like « I may mention » as he bases his observations on his own personal experience. [...]

[...] His text is dedicated to middle-class readers who are unaware of this reality as these lines force the readers to consider this alarming social situation. That's why the description is full of symbols and personal interpretation especially when he refers to Manchester saying that this is a« Hell upon Earth ». In a word, here lie some of Engels' first angers and true indignations. And he offers the readers to take part in his utmost feelings as he frequently uses the adjective « horrible » and the superlative « the most horrible » to fully express the impression conveyed by the city. [...]

[...] Just like this one, the description conveys an impression of darkness as the city seems to be empty of any redeeming beauty and, on the contrary, full of gloomy aspects with these first appearing northern cotton mills. Therefore, this text raises the question of the principle of reality. Engels ensures the authenticity of his description with true facts. He therefore mentions the «twenty to thirty thousand inhabitants ». He also frequently names specific and existing locations such as « Todd Street, long Millgate, Withy Grove ». It guarantees that the elements are real and at the same time, includes Engels among this world even if he volontarily places himself as a passer-by. [...]

[...] He points out the controversial elements we should be all shocked at. So we may say that this essay is not only a dull and simple description of the social working-class living conditions. It goes further as Engels uses his personal and fine observations as a basis to build a social theory. We may observe that Engels mixes different processes to express strong social arguments. One of these consists in suggesting and including, in different parts, some theorical points as when he suggests very simply that former Manchester's inhabitants « have left » their houses which « were not good enough for them ». [...]

[...] This text contains the seeds and the marks of Engels' early social theory. In the meantime, it also questions the notion of civilisation itself and especially the one of progress. This way, the essay sounds like a divisive writing as it is a warning anticipating the worst aspects of a new capitalism that could be regarded today as the master piece of a young genius. It finally appears as if a clever and fine observation would have enabled us to guess out what our modern world would be. [...]