Chapter 498: The Factory Act
Historically, after the harsh exploitation of workers during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, European countries gradually recognized the problem and began to take measures to address it. As a pioneer of industrialization, the United Kingdom was the first to introduce the Factory Act in 1802 to ensure the basic survival rights of workers. [Note 1]
Some important provisions of the Act included:
Factories were prohibited from employing children under the age of nine. Children aged nine and older could work up to 8 hours a day, and those aged 14 and older could work up to 12 hours a day.Workers could not begin work before 6 a.m., and their sleeping time couldn't extend past 2 a.m.Factories were required to provide workers with adequate clothing, and for the first four years of employment, they were obligated to ensure workers received at least two hours of basic education each day.Factories had to ensure minimum ventilation standards and install safety guards on dangerous machinery, among other requirements.
When the Factory Act was initially enforced, British companies grumbled about it. But before long, they discovered that workers' productivity significantly improved, and production costs even fell slightly compared to before the Act's implementation.
Notably, the supply of skilled labor became more abundant, and recruitment became easier—mainly because the workers' basic living conditions were safeguarded, and the rates of injury, disease, and starvation dropped, allowing more workers to live long enough to become skilled laborers.
As a result, Britain's industrial competitiveness increased dramatically, further solidifying its position as a world leader.
After witnessing the workers' poor working conditions today, Joseph decided it was time to push for legislation that would protect workers' rights.
Not only would this improve the lives of tens of thousands of French workers—helping them live at least a basic, sustainable life—but it would also increase the efficiency of French industry. Furthermore, labor protection laws could become a powerful tool for France.
Historically, after the United Kingdom enacted the Factory Act, it quickly became the gold standard for human rights in Europe and earned widespread praise from workers across various nations.
Skilled workers flocked to Britain, bringing with them talent and technology, further fueling the country's industrial development.
Later, other European nations realized they were falling behind and had to implement similar laws, but by then, they were at a disadvantage. Once a standard is set and recognized by all, it's difficult to reverse public perception.
In this lifetime, Joseph intended to ensure that France was the one to set that standard!
Once back, he planned to summon Mirabeau, Bréteuil, and others to discuss the framework for such a law, with the aim of submitting it for review at the next cabinet meeting.
While deep in thought, Joseph heard Pernel beside him ask:
"Your Highness, you mentioned 'medical masks' earlier. Do these also have important medical applications?"
Joseph nodded:
"Indeed. Masks significantly reduce the risk of doctors being infected by their patients during treatments. Oh, actually, those bird-like masks that doctors wear during surgery serve a similar purpose."
Pernel seemed a bit surprised:
"But some scholars believe that those bird masks are just a superstitious relic and that they may even increase the risk of infection. My father never wears one."
Joseph, recalling a documentary he had seen about the history of European medicine, sighed and said:
"That's because they rarely cleaned the masks, and they essentially turned into breeding grounds for bacteria... But masks, when used correctly, are definitely effective."
At this point, he quickly reminded manager Delas:
"You should ensure the masks here are regularly cleaned—at least once every three days. And ideally, each worker should have their own designated mask to avoid cross-use."
Pernel's eyes lit up, as though she had just witnessed another medical innovation.
She had immense admiration for the Prince's medical knowledge and firmly believed that if he said something worked, it surely would. Previously, she had written a paper based on what the Prince had taught her about "double-blind experiments," which had earned her considerable recognition in the medical field. Of course, most people believed it was something the Prince had worked out with her father, Lamarck…
Pernel immediately requested:
"Your Highness, I would like to provide some masks to the field hospitals and eventually promote their use among doctors across the country."
"Of course, that's a great idea," Joseph nodded. Then, considering the high cost of custom-made masks, he suggested, "Or we could establish a factory dedicated to producing masks.
"Just from the demand in hospitals and factories alone, we'll need to manufacture tens of thousands of masks each month, so mass production would be necessary."
"Tens of thousands?" Pernel exclaimed. "But Your Highness, the gasworks only has 200 or so workers, and even if we include all the doctors in the country, I don't think we would need that many masks."
Joseph smiled:
"It's not just the gasworks—textile mills, flour mills, chemical factories, and even construction workers will all need them. I estimate we could easily sell two to three thousand masks a month."
After finishing the discussion about masks, Joseph, led by Delas, toured the coal-crushing facilities, discussing with DuPont and other investors the construction of new gasworks in Nancy and Tunisia.
When one of the investors heard that even Tunisia would be fitted with gas lamps and that the investment there would reach 2 million francs, he hesitantly said:
"Your Highness, don't you think there might be some risk in terms of returns when installing gas lamps in North Africa? In fact, even Nancy doesn't seem to be a particularly prosperous city..."
"You need to consider long-term returns," Joseph replied with a smile. "Gas lamps have a huge impact on a city's appeal.
"Nancy's industrial zone is the most developed in the region, and it will become a densely populated city in the future. As for Tunisia, in just the past six months, it has gained four to five thousand new immigrants. Tunis will undoubtedly become the center of North Africa."
The investor nodded slightly but still murmured softly, "It's just that such a large investment might require a bit more caution..."
Before Joseph could respond, DuPont spoke up with a laugh:
"Roland, you're being overly cautious. The prospects for gas streetlights are excellent.
"As far as I know, the British Parliament has already approved a budget of £300,000 to install gas lamps throughout London."
The businessman named Roland widened his eyes in shock. £300,000 was equivalent to 750,000 francs. If the British were investing that much in gas lighting, he clearly had nothing to worry about.
Joseph, however, frowned slightly. Historically, the British had become pioneers of the Industrial Revolution for good reason—their keen instincts far surpassed those of other nations of the time.
[Note 1] In the early 19th century, Britain's so-called Factory Act wasn't a single piece of legislation but a collective term for several laws related to factories. The most famous among them was the Health and Morals of Apprentices Act, along with several supplementary regulations.
(End of Chapter)
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