Factors Increasing Worker Power during the Industrial Revolution
While labor productivity in Britain began to rise in the mid-eighteenth century, workers' wages did not see substantial growth until the mid-nineteenth century. This delay was overcome when workers gained sufficient structural and bargaining power through several key developments. These included an increased demand for labor, the formation of new institutions like trade unions, and political empowerment from gaining the right to vote. These factors collectively enabled wage earners to secure a larger share of the economy's output.
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