Why did some industrialists in nineteenth-century Europe prefer hand labour over machines?
Model Answer & Options
Source: TextbookSome industrialists in 19th-century Europe preferred hand labour over machines for several key reasons:
- Plentiful and Cheap Labour: There was no shortage of workers. Many people had migrated to cities from the countryside, so wages were low. This made the financial incentive to invest in expensive machinery less compelling.
- High Cost and Risk of Machines: Machines required huge capital investment, were often expensive to repair, and could become obsolete quickly with new inventions. Hand labour did not carry these financial risks.
- Seasonal Demand: Many industries, like gas works, breweries, and book-binding, had seasonal demand. In these cases, it was more practical to hire more workers for the busy season than to invest in large machines that would sit idle during the off-season.
- Demand for Variety and Quality: For certain goods, especially luxury items for the aristocracy, there was a demand for intricate designs and specific shapes that were better produced by skilled human hands than by machines, which were geared towards producing uniform products.
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