Question

Explain giving four reasons why the industrialist of Europe preferred hand labour over machines during the 19th century.

Answer 1

Reasons why industrialist preferred hand labour rather than machines and heavy equipment:

• The labour was available in large quantities thus it was cheap.
• The labour or the handwork was cheaper than the costly machines.
• The costly machines had huge investments which were not affordable by the industrialists, and they were more comfortable with hand labour.
• Machines had huge maintaining costs, and if they ever broke, it was tough or nearly impossible to repair them.
• Seasonal labour was used at certain times of the year as the machines could not be bought only for a seasonal purpose.