Rights in the Victorian Era

997 Words4 Pages
The Victorian era. The Victorian Era in England is a famous historical period during which Queen Victoria was on the throne. It was an era of industrial and scientific breakthroughs but also a turning point in government politics and rights for English citizens. It is a time during which the population of England doubles and the first unions and strikes take place. Factory workers suffer for the first half of the century as well as the agricultural workers who have to endure the consequences of this evolution. Political protests get more and more common and the government suffers from the pressure of the working class. Changes take place during the second half, and a greater equality is achieved at the end of the reign of Queen Victoria. How did the political protests change rights in the 19th century? Oscar Wilde, writes in The Soul Of Man Under Socialism, that for progress to be made, people have to be disobedient to the rules they are subjected to: « Agitators are absolutely necessary. Without them, in our incomplete state, there would be no advance towards civilization. » No progress can be made if everyone obeys every rule without complaining. There weren't only political protests that helped change the way the working class lived, there was also famous strikes, like the matcher's strike: They succeeded in getting higher pay and better working conditions after their strike. The workers of a Match factory were exposed to deadly substances and it was all revealed in the press, causing a scandal. This strike inspired many more unions to speak up as it was a successful revolt in a very low-class worker environment. The year after that, the Dockers strike was a success in 1889 ,with thousands of men of all branches of riverside labor turning up and striking. Despite the fact that the third class population was being more recognized work-wise, there was
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