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Difficulty: EasySocialist, Communist, and Reformist Reactions to Industrialization

Matthew Crabtree, a witness before a British parliamentary committee in 1832, gave the following testimony:

"What age are you? — Twenty-two.
What is your occupation? — A blanket manufacturer.
Have you ever been employed in a factory? — Yes, at eight years old.
What were your hours of labour? — From 6 in the morning to 8 at night.
With what intervals for refreshments? — An hour at noon.
Had you no time for breakfast or afternoon refreshment? — No, we had to eat our meals as we could, standing up, while the machinery was moving."
— British Parliament, Sadler Committee Report, 1832

The testimony in the passage was most directly used by reformers to advocate for which of the following responses to industrialization?

  1. The passage of government legislation to regulate working conditionsAnswer
  2. B
    The revolutionary overthrow of capitalist governments by the industrial proletariat
  3. C
    The adoption of mercantilist policies to protect domestic markets from foreign competition
  4. D
    The immediate technological transition to petroleum and chemical manufacturing

Answer

The passage of government legislation to regulate working conditions
The correct answer is correct because parliamentary investigations like the Sadler Committee Report were designed to gather evidence to support reformist legislation. This directly led to the passage of laws such as the Factory Act of 1833, which regulated child labor and working hours in British factories.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus context and content
The passage is a testimony from the Sadler Committee Report of 1832, detailing a worker who began working in a factory at age eight, working 14-hour days with minimal breaks.
Understanding the source helps identify the historical actors (British reformers/parliament) and the specific problem they were addressing (child labor and working conditions).
2
Identify the primary response advocated by the authors of the source
The British Parliament used these investigations to pass moderate reforms, such as the Factory Acts, which regulated working hours and restricted child labor.
This directly connects the document's purpose (informing reform legislation) to the historical outcome of legislative intervention.

Key Concept

Reformist reactions to industrialization focused on using state legislative power to curb the worst abuses of industrial capitalism.
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Topics

Socialist, Communist, and Reformist Reactions to Industrialization

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