Wk. 6 William Eadcliff, Origin of the New System of Manufacture (1828) Flashcards Preview

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William Radcliffe, Origin of the New System of Manufacture (1828)

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William Radcliffe, Origin of the New System of Manufacture (1828) – William Radcliffe (1761-1842) opened one of the first cotton factories in Lancashire, which quickly became the center of industrial production in England, in 1801. Radcliffe’s ancestors had been wealthy landowners, but by the time he was born his family was relatively poor. In this document, he describes his rise in fortune along with the broader changes that new technologies created in his district.

What effect did the new machines have on the common people?

They put some people out of work who still had the traditional, labor-intensive tools for spinning, carding, and looming. This made the poverty rate climb.

  • Even farmers supplemented their income by working with spinning and weaving – “all the rest got their rent partly in some branch of trade, such as spinning and weaving”
  • Preparation of the yarn was labor-intensive, requiring 3-4 people per single weaver. It was a great source of labor for the common person. – “the great sheet anchor of all cottages and small arms, was the labour attached to the hand-wheel, and when it is considered that it required six to eight hands to prepare and spin yarn, of any of the three materials I have mentioned, sufficient for the consumption of one weaver. This shews clearly the inexhaustible source there was for labour for every person”
  • Changes came in thin the period from 1770-1788. These included the consolidation of materials and the inventions of common Jennies and carding engines – “cotton, cotton, cotton, was become the almost universal material for employment, the hand-wheels, with the exception of one establishment were all thrown into lumberrooms, the yarn was all spun on common jennies, the carding for all numbers, up to 40 hanks in the pound, was done on carding engines”
  • Overall there was greater wealth and productivity, but individually, a “wealth gap” began to develop as some changed (and benefitted) from the advancements in technology – “upon the whole, the district was not much benefited by the change; for what was gained by some families who had the advantage of machinery, might, in a great measure, be said to be lost to the others, who had been compelled to throw their old cards and hand-wheels aside as lumber.”
  • Poverty increased as a result – “consequences of this change now began to make its appearance, the poor rate, which previous to this change had only been known in a comparatively nominal way, [began to increase]”
  • During the “Golden Age” (1788-1803), even with increased mechanization and productivity, the high demand for textiiles created jobs for everyone who wanted them and with greater and greater pay. This led to widespread wealth for this period. – “with an increasing demand for every fabric the loom could produce, put all hands in request of every age and description”
    • “loom-shops rose up in every direction; all immediately filled, and when in full work the weekly circulation of money as the price of labour only rose to five times the amount ever before experienced”
    • “said to be placed in a higher state of “wealth, peace, and godliness,” by the great demand for, and high price of, their labour,”

What made Radcliffe successful?

  • He began with a broad and deep base of knowledge and experience with the industry, but what really made him successful was that he took the daring and bold chance necessary to excel. He also adapted to the changing times and embraced the progress in technology to maximize his growth and fortune, reinvesting in his business as it grew in wealth.
  • Upward movement in society was possible – “After the practical experience of a few years, any young man who was industrious and careful, might then from his earnings as a weaver, lay by sufficient to set him up as a manufacturer”
  • “by the year 1789, I was well established, and employed many hands both in spinning and weaving, as a master manufacturer.”

Radcliffe stops his narrative in 1803 – based on what happened earlier, what do you think happened when factories like Radcliffe’s, which were completely mechanized, became widespread?

  • Radcliffe mentioned that The “Golden Age” was the pinnacle of the textile boom. During that period, the demand for textiles was so great that jobs were still plentiful and wealth grew as a result. But once completely mechanized, the demand for labor would decrease, which means the pay would decrease for doing the same job. There would also be fewer jobs available, creating a void in the demand for labor across the country. And this is where the Wealth Gap begins to grow – owners of the factories will benefit from the mechanization with increased productivity and decreased production costs. At the same time, the average worker will grow poorer due to the decrease in both jobs as well as the rate of pay. – “years I will call the golden age of this great trade, which has been ever since in a gradual decline.”

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