We call Victorian Age the period in which Queen Victoria reigned (1837-1901). This was a long period of prosperity and political and economical stability. England became the maritime commerce leader and the people of England dedicated with great impulse to industry and commerce. This era marked the political and economical apogee of the United Kingdom leading throughout her reign a series of transformations: from the political point of view, in 1832 a new parliamentary regime started with participation of the conservative and liberals. Its most important leaders were Disraeli and Gladstone respectively. From these political alternatives, the election would provide the future prime minister. Which social group felt identified with the rules of the Victorian Age and why?
Taking into account the economical perspective, the free trade, which impulse the growth of the English industries, was adopted. Consequently, social problems of the working class worsened with the growth of the factories because people worked a lot of hours a day for insignificant salaries.
As a counterpart, the bourgeoisie was the dominant group that identified with the interests of the monarchy and which maintained a series of norms of behaviour that constituted the Victorian Morality.
Economical perspective
On this period on the economical perspective the industrial revolution takes place. First it is related to the textile industry, manufacturing spinning and cotton cloths, and then to the manufacture of other products. On this new stage factories appear. Their owners, who were members of the bourgeoisie, used that physical space to place the machines modifying the traditional conditions of work. Traditionally out of crop and sowing season workers complemented their incomes performing other kinds of jobs. With the industrial revolution workers had to go to the factories and install themselves on the cities, in that way cities grow in population and in conflicts because the new inhabitants lacked of resources and lived in marginality and poverty conditions.
Besides the knitting and spinning machines another kinds of machines were developed in different areas, for example, low pressure machines that were used in the mines to take out the water that flooded them. There were also high pressure machines, on this period Watt creates a machine that generates movement, it is the beginning of the locomotive and the invention of the trains.
Steam was used on the ships making transportation cheaper and reducing distances. For the first time man separates from his natural conditions and feels that he dominates and controls the earth, examples of this kind of thinking can be found on literature, on the novels written by Jules Verne, for example, Around the World in Eighty Days. These kinds of work are the reflex of the confidence that Europeans gained by means of scientific and technological discoveries.
On that time workers were subjected to terrible working conditions: great quantity of hours a day, commonly 16 or more, and the rigorousity of the leader. Women and children’s work was very rigorous and subjected to very cruel conditions, for example in the case of pregnant women and children who worked in the mines.
On this period labour conditions were not subjected to any legislation that controlled them because it was thought that they would get better naturally as competence between different factories arose. This implicated an extreme liberalism.
The industries growth made the search of economical row materials necessary to reduce costs. New markets were needed to place the production. Also on this period the Imperial Expansion of England begins over Africa and Asia where they established colonies under their dominion. This expansion policy is incentivised by the queen, who acquires a great international prestige by doing so.
These liberal English policies were favourable for the industrial bourgeoisie which would begin a golden period of economical growth and social prestige. This bourgeoisie disseminated a series of “good” customs that would form the called Victorian Morality according to the characteristics supported by the queen.
Meanwhile in Argentina around 1830 the “Rosista” period begins after the war with Brazil and the failure of Rivadavia’s presidency, which was of Unitarian tendency. On that moment the litoral provinces and Buenos Aires dedicated to leather and tasajo exportation. The principal costumer of this kind of products was England, from whom industrial products were imported.
On this stage the attempts of national unity failed and the predominance of the Federals, which was extended until 1852 when Urquiza defeated them in the Casero’s battle, is produced. Urquiza calls the agreement of San Nicolás where deputies of the provinces concurred. In 1853 the National Constitution is sanctioned and Urquiza is chosen president.
The differences between Buenos Aires and the interior become stronger and they separated. In 1861the Pavon battle, in which Buenos Aires defeated the confederation, took place. Buenos Aires troops were leaded by Mitre. In 1862 Mitre is chosen president of the Nation. A strengthened stage of the national organization begins with three historical presidencies: Mitre’s (1862-1868), Sarmiento’s (1868-1874) and Avellaneda’s (1874-1880). On this stage cereals for the local population were produced and the cattle begun to get better. In 1880 a new stage from the political and economical point of view appears.
From the political perspective this stage that begun with Roca’s government was characterised by the fraudulent election and an elite that installs on the government.
On the economical point of view the model of agricultural export appeared. Argentina becomes a good quality meat and cereals exporter especially for the English market. Argentina specialises on frozen meat, a product called chilled, which was specially made to supply England who was immersed in the process of Industrial Revolution.
On the social aspect the necessity of workers encourages the European immigration and a growth of the population is produced. In 1880 a system of train transport is organized in the country which flows into Buenos Aires in funnel form.
At the beginning of the 20th C the first social conflicts took place because the workers claimed for improvements in the working conditions. In 1905 the residence law appears which allowed the government to deport foreigners who created conflicts. On 1910 the hundredth anniversary of the May revolution is celebrated and representatives of the major European potencies concurred. On 1914 the First World War breaks out. Argentina was neutral in front of the conflict and its economy is affected because war reduces commerce. Strikes and social demands increased. In 1916 Hipolito Hyrigoyen is chosen president, he belonged to the Union Cívica Radical. With him the predominance of the elite and oligarchy finished.
All in all we can affirm that during this stage the bourgeoisie prospered. They saw their incomes grow because of the state policies which did not get involved neither on the working conditions nor in the regulation of the market. This kind of behaviour allowed a series of abuses and arbitrariness by the bourgeoisie. They generated an accumulation of capitals and their re investments increased the process of industrialization. Besides during the Victorian age extra continental colonies were established. The English crown protected the rights of the English traders abroad which allowed them to get row materials at a low cost and to place the merchandise on the colonies and new markets.
From the enomical side Argentina has been related to England since a long time basically as a supplier of row materials and receiver of industrialized products. This relationship becomes stronger in 1880 when Argentina participates of the international job division as a specialized country on the production of high quality food. Argentina will be respected from the point of view of its political independence but it will be influenced by England on its economical decisions.
This article has been published with the expressed consent of the author.
RLH tutor
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