>which enabled working-class people to own fairly large amounts of clothing for the first time, and even have fashionable clothing, which had once been the excl

>which enabled working-class people to own fairly large amounts of clothing for the first time, and even have fashionable clothing, which had once been the exclusive preserve of the rich. No, that was due to social reform as a result of the threat of anarchist/socialist/communist uprisings against the established order. Average living standards went down during most of the industrial revolution. >reforming that system worked out a lot better than trying to work with people who were so threatened by change they would destroy other peoples' method of earning a living. Except the capitalists attempted (mostly successfully) to destroy alternate ways of earning a living other than industrial work. America was flooded with immigrants because it was a chance for peasants to have land of their own.