Engels and Faraday

The Industrial Revolution transformed the landscapes of cities. As it gave rise to ground-breaking inventions such as the cotton gin and steam engine, the topography of cities and social hierarchy were also reshaped. This can particularly be seen when looking at Manchester and London. As Engels and Faraday observed respectively, the River Irk in 1844 and the River Thames in 1855 were filled to the brim with debris and refuse. Foul odors omitted from the rivers and there was a lack of care for health. This demonstrates how becoming more economically successful and developed than other cities was a main objective for cities at the time as this was prioritized over human health, which contrasts with the current more biotechnic era that we are living in. Besides this, Engels expounds on how the working-mens quarters were extremely small, densely populated, and unsanitary. The horrible living conditions and physical separation of these men from the rest of society illustrate how deep class divide was at the time. The Industrial Revolution widened the gap between the rich and the poor with struggles of class and power changing the topography of cities, so that these working-men lived in separate districts of their own. Therefore, the commentary that both of these men provide exhibit how the Industrial Revolution was both detrimental for the environment and influential in changing the city's social structure.