The evolution of economies from agriculture to an industrialized system has prominently shaped modern society. However, what if the economy had only been based on agriculture?
In that case, the unemployment rates would not have varied as wildly as it does today. It would have affected various sectors such as the participation of men and women in the workforce, demand for nutrition based on population, and child labor. I will tell you why – and we don’t need to look far beyond. In pre-industrial Europe, male unemployment was estimated to be as low as 2-3% compared to the 8-12% seen during industrial downturns in the 19th and 20th centuries.
I know, you are probably wondering why we don’t have such great unemployment figures now, but that’s how the world has changed. And it’s interesting to think how things would have been otherwise. Sure, we may not have had an iPhone in our hands – but what was the trade-off?
Even today, smallholder farms do better when it comes to job creation than industrialized farms. Interesting, right?
FACTS in AGRICULTURE.
— Agricultureissexy (@Agricissexy) June 20, 2024
Research shows that job creation is better capitalized, and investors receive more for their money on smallholder farms than industrial farm.
This allows farmers to take risks and increase productivity, such as growing crops for profit. #agricissexy pic.twitter.com/uEx9o52URl
We Would Have Had Lower Unemployment Rates for Men
If an economy is entirely based on agriculture, the role of men in the workforce will become limited due to the seasonal cycles of vegetation. I am emphasizing ‘men’ here since the agricultural economy was dependant on men.
The traditional way of working in agriculture was male-dominated and labor roles for men were sufficient that they could lead to consistent employment opportunities throughout the year. It is not the same in the industrial sector where downturns in the economy or technology can lead to huge mass layoffs that contribute to certain unemployment rates.
The constant need for labor for planting, tending, and harvesting is a way to provide consistent employment throughout the year. So, stability in agricultural work can lower unemployment rates for men.
Lesser Demand for Women in the Working Sector
Not everything would have been as rosy though.
In the olden times, agriculture was majorly handled by the family labors and women played a crucial role in that. Women were engaged in planting, hoeing seeds, weeding seeds, sorting, and harvesting. However, it can supposed that the demand for working in the industrialized sector for women was less as their roles were quite limited to home.
This all changed with the Industrial Revolution, which increased employment rates for women as well in the factories due to which women looking for financial independence and better wages were attracted.
Let’s know a bit about it in this context.
In pre-industrial America, the role of women and men was almost equal as their center of production was the household. Most families lived on farms and worked together throughout the year from sowing seeds to harvesting. Within this scene, where the men were the heads of households, women were also equally involved as caretakers and goods producers. The roles of men and women were equally important.
From the first stage of industrialization, men started to work outside the home in the factories, where they had to work under other owners. However, this created a men-dominated industrial environment, due to which the roles of women became limited to the household.
As a matter of fact, if the economy was solely based on agriculture, the demand for women in the industrial workforce would have been lesser and their roles would be domestic.
Improved Growth of Nutrition and Population
Technological growth in the agriculture sector has always improved the ways of crop production. Without the Industrial Revolution, the focus would have been mainly on improving farming methods. The technological advancement in farming methods would have led to increased crop productivity. This way fewer people would need to migrate to urban areas for employment and access to fresh food and grains would be higher for people living in agricultural areas. Industrialization has played a significant role in improving farming methods, which led to more and enough crop production for the population.
However, where the role of industrialization helped to improve agriculture technologies to provide better nutrition for the increasing population, it has brought several disadvantages as well. In modern times, the role of industrialization is vigorously affecting agriculture resulting in deforestation, which is a serious issue to resolve worldwide.
“It's estimated we may have only 60 harvests left of soil, that we may not be able to grow food much longer given our current state of agriculture.” The harmful effects of the industrialization of agriculture on this week’s podcast with @DrMarkHymanhttps://t.co/MdY29nhJ8v pic.twitter.com/dV5ieMz0mo
— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) April 13, 2021
Child Labor Would Have been Different
One of the main issues with industrialization is child labor, where children are provided with work based on their abilities in factories for long hours at lower wages. The amount of child labor could have been lower if the industry was solely based on agriculture as the children’s work would have been limited to their family units and they did not have to work for long hours in factories. This way children could get more time to focus on their education.
This impact was so harsh that it still goes on today. Even in a developed country like the U.S., which stands among the largest economies in the world, child labor is a critical issue to resolve. From the first to the fourth industrial revolution, where the role of women drastically improved, which is good for gender equality, child labor increased as well.
Back then in the agriculture-based system, it was good for kids when they could work with their families as a helping hand and could make time for their education as well. Now, it’s different – children have to focus on working for minimum wages and have to do hazardous work in factories or agriculture sites for long hours.
Sad but too too true…..the U.S. as a nation must do better. The U.S. lets kids in agriculture do hazardous work at age 16 and 17 and then DOES NOT update the definition of "hazardous work" for decades. #Crazy https://t.co/8gX4FgoHnh
— Child Labor Coalition (@ChildLaborCLC) June 14, 2024
Very few people on the left are actually communists, you know?
— Claus von Pufnstuf (@Titscarraldo) May 10, 2021
Besides, you need to read the Manifesto more carefully. It was written during the Industrial Revolution and decries the impact this had on working class "proletariat" families – particularly child labor. …
While industrialization has led to significant economic and technological growth rapidly, the economy based on the agricultural sector has its distinct advantages on stability in employment rates, gender roles, nutrition, child labor, and education.
This scenario is supposed to deliver an understanding of the potential outcomes on the economy due to the agriculture-based sector and industrialization. There are two aspects to this. When we move away from an agrarian economy, like the U.S. has, it is more dependent on other nations on food. But it has made its gains as it has focused on being a leader in the industrialized economy.
Obviously it’s not safe to be in a position where none of your food is made locally, but there’s a reason why countries become richer by moving from agrarian to manufacturing to services/technology. We are obviously much better off than when we had an agrarian economy https://t.co/m1wHiEAwTa
— Armand Domalewski (@ArmandDoma) December 11, 2023
In short, both have their advantages in different aspects and come with various potential challenges for everyone to face. However, in modern times, it can be ensured that both are equally necessary for the economic growth of a country.
Last Updated on by Icy Tales Team
