Why did many British industrialists in the nineteenth century prefer hand labour over steam-powered machines, despite the availability of new technology?
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 14:57 · grounding rag
Model Answer
British industrialists in the nineteenth century preferred hand labour over machines for the following reasons:
- Abundance of cheap labour: Poor peasants and vagrants migrated to cities in large numbers, keeping wages low. Industrialists had no shortage of labour or high wage costs, so machines were unnecessary.
- Seasonal demand: Industries like gas works, breweries, and bookbinders needed extra workers only during peak seasons. Hiring seasonal workers was cheaper than investing in expensive machines.
- Intricate designs: Many products — like the 500 varieties of hammers or 45 kinds of axes — required human skill. Machines could only produce uniform, standardised goods.
- Upper-class preference: Aristocrats and the bourgeoisie preferred handmade goods as symbols of refinement and class. Machines were seen as suitable only for mass-market export goods.
Source: Chapter 4, Section — Hand Labour and Steam Power
---
Explanation
Examiners expect 4 distinct reasons for a 3-mark question like this (one mark for the central idea + supporting points). List format is ideal here — it shows clarity and covers all angles from the passage. Avoid writing a vague one-paragraph response; separate reasons score better. Key terms to use: seasonal demand, cheap labour, intricate designs, handmade as symbol of class.