The Industrial Revolution was a time of urbanization and technological growth, providing an opportunity for England to not only become the most powerful economy in the world, but also the most powerful nation. During this time, industry changed as a whole, and with that, the daily lives of the urban English population transformed into something completely unprecedented. A majority of the working class was afraid of this change, however, believing that machines and other technological innovations would eliminate their jobs and livelihood. Those lucky enough to keep their jobs suffered through low wages and poor working conditions. The upper class, however, believed that these innovations were both essential and beneficial to society. In his work The Philosophy of Manufacturers, 1835, Andrew Ure went as far as to argue that industrialization directly benefited workers, ignoring any complaints of the working people. 

As workers complained of low wages and harsh conditions, Ure argued that machines actually benefited the health of workers. He stated that machines did the hard labor instead of the workers, who had “nearly nothing to do at all.” He explained that since the machines did the dirty work, workers did not need as much time to rest, allowing them to work more hours and earn more money. According to Ure, industrialization was a “philanthropic” revolution that improved the lives of everyone involved and workers had no reason to complain. 

Ure went on to say that paying workers was the most expensive part of production, and industrialization could eliminate that problem. He believed that the Industrial Revolution eliminated the need for skilled workers, as workers could now simply supervise machinery. As the skill level required in production went down, a wider range of people could be hired. Ure specifically gave the example of cotton mills where the work was done entirely by girls and women aged 16 and up. Women, children, and less skilled workers did not need to be paid as much as men, and would therefore save employers money. 

Machinery eliminated the possibility of human error, which could delay the process and lower the quality of the product. Ure assumed that machines allowed for precision, while workers “by occasional irregularities, […] may do great damage to the whole.” Additionally, machines allowed for the production of goods that would previously be impossible to produce. Ure’s last assumption stated that the evolution of steam trains and transportation allowed for more work opportunities for a wide range of workers across the country. Transportation was also made cheaper and more reliable with the use of steam engines, and it opened up more trade opportunities. 

As a whole, the reality of Ure’s assumptions was that they pointed to the idea that the main goal of the manufacturing industry was to either decrease the cost of employment or even completely replace manual labor. As the working class suffered through poor working conditions and poor quality of life, Ure argued that his own profits and the evolution of the manufacturing industry was of the utmost importance. His top priority was either saving money or making more money, although he tried to mask that truth by laying out arguments that supported the idea that the19th century working class benefited from industrialization.