Industrial Livestock Production
The focus of industry has changed between the 19th century and the 21st century, and the changes have changed along with it. Workers no long fear being overworked or injured on the job without compensation. However, issues still remain in modern industry. Take Industrial Livestock Production for example. In recent years, small, family farms have started to decrease in numbers with large, industrial livestock production facilities replacing them. These facilities care little about the environment, animal welfare, soil and water quality, or food safety.
Back in the late 19th century, there was no major concern for soil quality, for the breadbasket of the nation was not yet aware of the soils degrading quality until the onset of the depression. Nor was the United States in the 1890's in fear of water or food contamination because the harmful drugs, steroids, pesticides, etc. were not yet fully relied upon. On these modern farms, work conditions are regulated and monitored to be sure no illness or disabilities come from working in such facilities.
However, this was not the case back in the times of industrialist. There were few restrictions on labor or on how industries could go about business. This kept wages low, work unsafe, and conditions miserable. Back then with the government's "hands-off" policy, it took years of hard protest, including numerous strikes that all ended badly, to finally convince the government to intervene in the affair. Nowadays, the government has a much more proactive and direct approach to problems involving pollution, contamination, and abuse.
However, there is still one issue in which both the 19th century industry and the 21st century industrial livestock production share. In both cases, the business strives for a monopoly. Now, this may be much less intended in the 19th century, and it is not considered a monopoly because there are numerous different companies with such livestock facilities, but these modern big farming businesses are rapidly consuming the smaller, family farms. This is similar to the specific way Standard Oil went about business in their Horizontal Integration format. The company expanded out consuming the lesser, "family" oil companies.
The focus of industry has changed between the 19th century and the 21st century, and the changes have changed along with it. Workers no long fear being overworked or injured on the job without compensation. However, issues still remain in modern industry. Take Industrial Livestock Production for example. In recent years, small, family farms have started to decrease in numbers with large, industrial livestock production facilities replacing them. These facilities care little about the environment, animal welfare, soil and water quality, or food safety.
Back in the late 19th century, there was no major concern for soil quality, for the breadbasket of the nation was not yet aware of the soils degrading quality until the onset of the depression. Nor was the United States in the 1890's in fear of water or food contamination because the harmful drugs, steroids, pesticides, etc. were not yet fully relied upon. On these modern farms, work conditions are regulated and monitored to be sure no illness or disabilities come from working in such facilities.
However, this was not the case back in the times of industrialist. There were few restrictions on labor or on how industries could go about business. This kept wages low, work unsafe, and conditions miserable. Back then with the government's "hands-off" policy, it took years of hard protest, including numerous strikes that all ended badly, to finally convince the government to intervene in the affair. Nowadays, the government has a much more proactive and direct approach to problems involving pollution, contamination, and abuse.
However, there is still one issue in which both the 19th century industry and the 21st century industrial livestock production share. In both cases, the business strives for a monopoly. Now, this may be much less intended in the 19th century, and it is not considered a monopoly because there are numerous different companies with such livestock facilities, but these modern big farming businesses are rapidly consuming the smaller, family farms. This is similar to the specific way Standard Oil went about business in their Horizontal Integration format. The company expanded out consuming the lesser, "family" oil companies.