Industrial Leaders Of Manchester example essay topic

The first paragraph of the letter clearly describes all the benefits and advantages of machinery comparing to the human labor. The position of merchants was based on several factors, basically economical. At the time both documents workers petition and merchants letter were written, all efforts of the country were directed on reducing prices when exporting goods, which could be reached with an efficient organization of labor. Machinery became a perfect tool for achieving this goal. They were right in their own way. On the international trade arena Britain had numerous competitors that manufactured the same products having labor cost twice cheaper than in Britain.

Thus, the merchants declared, From these Premises, we the undersigned Merchants, think it a Duty we owe to ourselves, to the Town of Leeds, and to the Nation at large, to declare that we will protect and support the free Use of the proposed Improvements in Cloth-Dressing, by every legal Means in our Power; and if after all, contrary to our Expectations, the Introduction of Machinery should for a Time occasion a Scarcity of Work in the Cloth Dressing Trade, we have unanimously agreed to give a Preference to such Workmen as are now settled Inhabitants of this Parish, and who give no Opposition to the present Scheme. Both points of view have solid grounds and make considerable sense. It is for individual to decide what position is more reasonable. However, reasoning in economical scale, the introduction of machinery had a positive and inimitable effect, presenting a process that cannot be stopped once started.

As the industrialization spread, more and more wealthy people emerged in the social structure. After Great Britain took the lead in the industrial development, other countries, including Belgium, France, some German states, and Northern USA, began to follow it. Roughly after 1850 this process spread all over the Europe and far beyond. Andrew Carnegie, poor Scottish immigrant to the USA, is still considered to be one of the wealthiest persons ever lived and one of the pioneers of the industrialization process. He was an extremely successful businessman of the time.

Carnegie made his wealth on the provision of iron and steel to the railways. Carnegie made millions of dollars during his successful business career. The beliefs that made him leave the business world to become a philanthropist are outlined in a famous essay he wrote in 1889 called "The Gospel of Wealth". In this essay, he wrote that wealthy men should live without extravagance, provide moderately for their families, and consider the rest of their wealth as extra money that they should distribute to promote the welfare and happiness of other people. "The Gospel of Wealth" was read all over the world and Carnegie's intentions were praised. Very wealthy people of that period lived lavishly and spent huge amounts of money on their own personal needs and wishes, but Andrew Carnegie was not one of them.

In his lifetime he gave away more than $350 million or almost 90 percent of his fortune for what he considered to be the improvement of all mankind. Carnegie believed, that of leaving wealth at death for public uses, it may be said that this is only a means for the disposal of wealth, provided a man is content to wait until he is dead before it becomes of much good in the world... The cases are not few in which the real object sought by the testator is not attained, nor are they few in which his real wishes are thwarted... [3] Britain was definitely an industrial country, and many industrial cities proved this fact to be true. However, of all flourishing cities of England, Manchester was leading the way. Up until now, Manchester is considered to be the first really industrial city for a number of reasons.

First, Manchester had an ideal geographical location. It's damp climate created an ideal atmosphere for cotton manufacture, which differed from the drier climate of the eastern English cloth manufacture centers. Located near the large Atlantic port in the town of Liverpool, the people of Manchester were allowed access to greater world trade relations. In addition, the city was surrounded by on of the earliest railroad tracks as well as canals allowing transport of products to other areas of England. Specifically, Manchester was located near power sources such as waterpower and coal. Industrial leaders of Manchester proved to be ambitious with their go-ahead style of industrial development.

Such approach was decisive in the industrial growth, but it also created numerous social problems that could hardly be avoided. Before the industrial revolution, Manchester population constituted about 6,000 people. Following the population surge, by 1844 Manchester became the home of more than 400,000 citizens..