Question

Why did some industrialists in nineteenth-century Europe prefer hand labour over machines?

Answer 1

Hint: -In European history, the 19th century was a transformative era and a time of immense change in all facets of life.
-Human and civil rights, liberalism and nationalism, industrialization and free-market economies have all contributed to a moment of transition and opportunity.

Complete answer: Many factories in nineteenth-century Europe chose hand labour to machines because machines were costly, inefficient, impossible to fix, and demanded large capital investments.
At the time labour was available at low wages. Only seasonal labour was needed in seasonal industries. Consumer demands for different styles and colours and particular forms could not be fulfilled by machine-mad Intricate shapes and textures can only be accomplished through human abilities.
For the following factors, some industrialists were hesitant to install modern machinery and favoured manual labour over machines
(i)Cheap labour availability: People from villages have begun to migrate to towns in search of jobs. So during nineteenth-century Europe, there was no lack of human labour. At a smaller expense than a computer, industrialists will employ more employees.
(ii)Seasonal sectors: the labour market has been seasonal in many businesses, such as gas works and breweries. In seasonal manufacturing, industrialists typically favoured hand labour,
(iii)Demand for specified products: Machine-made products have not been able to meet industry expectations for a range of styles and colours and particular forms. Intricate shapes and patterns in clothes can only be accomplished by technical abilities. Only manually could these items be made.
(iv)Investment and Maintenance: Computers were expensive, unreliable, difficult to fix and demanded tremendous resources. It was a costly affair to invest and operate these machines. The wear and tear of the equipment were expensive. Machines were not as powerful then as their inventors and creators claimed them to be.
Industrialists, therefore, were cautious about using them.

Note: -Only with hand labour could a variety of goods be made. To manufacture uniform and standardized items for a consumer market, computers were focused. However, consumer appetite was also for products with complex patterns and particular shapes.
-The aristocrats and other upper-class citizens of the Victorian era favoured publications made by hand only.