Child Labor And Poverty During The Victorian Era

The Victorian Era was a period of meaningful change and development in British history, marked by great strides in industry, technology, and economics. However, with these advancements came numerous social issues, such as child labor and poverty, which plagued Victorian society. In this essay, we will explore the impact of the Victorian Era on child labor and poverty and how these issues were addressed. Nelson Mandela once stated, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” By this, he means that societies keep their treatment of children hidden deep down in their souls. This prevents light from coming in and brings up struggles about how children are handled. This is child labor.

Poverty was cruel during this time because many families struggled to make ends meet. This led to high fertility rates during this time because mothers would have 10 children at most times, so they could be making money for their families. children in the mines were put in hazardous conditions, the labor put their life and health in danger. Their bones can break before they are even fully grown. They were forced to do a task that would cause them to lose their fingers or limbs and sometimes even be killed. For example, they are forced to jump into tight spaces that often lead them to

Rapid changes in employment, housing, and social welfare brought huge changes to people’s lives. The period of adjustment led to many workers living in extreme poverty and even dying on city streets of starvation in Victorian times. The population of Great Britain multiplied during this time. People were living longer, having larger families, infant mortality was down and immigrants escaping all added up to a huge population explosion in Victorian times. “Most employment was to be found in the newly industrialized cities, so many people abandoned their rural roots and converged on the urbanized areas to seek work. Skilled and unskilled workers alike were paid subsistence-level wages. If the work were seasonal or demand slumped, when they were laid off, they had no savings to live on until the next job opportunity could be found. Poor Victorians would put children to work at an early age, or even turn them out onto the streets to fend for themselves. In 1848 an estimated 30,000 homeless, filthy children lived on the streets” (Poverty in Victorian