1. Industrialization and Economic Need:
- The rapid industrialization of Britain created a high demand for cheap labor, and children often became a cost-effective workforce. Many families were impoverished and forced their children to work in factories, mills, and mines to supplement the family income.
2. Lack of Legislation:
- In the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, there were few laws or regulations to protect children from exploitation in the workplace. It wasn't until the late 1800s that laws began to emerge to address child labor issues.
3. Poor Law and Workhouses:
- The Poor Law of 1834 enforced a strict regime in workhouses, where the able-bodied poor, including children, were expected to work in order to receive assistance. Children in workhouses were often apprenticed to local businesses, where they were vulnerable to exploitation.
4. Societal Attitudes:
- Many people in the Victorian era held the belief that work was character-building, even for young children. Hard work was seen as a virtue, and it was commonly thought that children should learn discipline and responsibility by working from an early age.
5. Gender Roles:
- Girls in poor households were often expected to work as domestic servants, while boys were involved in various industries such as mining, textile manufacturing, and street trades. These gendered roles perpetuated the cycle of child labor.
6. Apprenticeship System:
- Many Victorian children were apprenticed to learn a trade or skill. However, these apprenticeships were often exploitative and could involve long hours, harsh conditions, and physical abuse.
7. Lack of Education and Opportunities:
- Education opportunities were limited for most Victorian children, especially from working-class families. Many families saw work as a necessity rather than an alternative to education.
Child labor during the Victorian era was a grave social problem that exposed young individuals to hazardous work environments, long hours, and inadequate safeguards. It took several decades and sustained efforts from social reformers, labor activists, and concerned individuals to implement legal protections and enforce regulations that eventually led to the decline and eventual eradication of exploitative child labor practices.