Editing Industrial Revolution (section)

===Factory system===
{{Main|Factory system}}
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, most were employed in agriculture as self-employed farmers, tenants, [[Landlessness|landless]] agricultural labourers. It was common for families to spin yarn, weave cloth and make their clothing. Households also spun and wove for market production. At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, India, China, and regions of Iraq and elsewhere in Asia and the Middle East produced most of the world's cotton cloth, while Europeans produced wool and linen goods.

In Great Britain in the 16th century, the [[putting-out system]] was practised, by which farmers and townspeople produced goods for a market in their homes, often described as ''cottage industry''. Merchant capitalists typically provided the raw materials, paid workers [[Piece work|by the piece]], and were responsible for sales. Embezzlement of supplies by workers and poor quality were common. The logistical effort in procuring and distributing raw materials and picking up finished goods were also limitations.<ref name="David S. Landes 1969"/>{{rp|57–59}}
[[File:Bomullsfabrik.jpg|thumb|Manchester cotton mill c. 1834]]
Some early spinning and weaving machinery, such as a 40 spindle jenny for about six pounds in 1792, was affordable for cottagers.<ref name="David S. Landes 1969"/>{{rp|59}} Later machinery such as spinning frames, spinning mules and power looms were expensive, giving rise to capitalist ownership of factories.

Most textile factory workers during the Industrial Revolution were unmarried women and children, including many orphans. They worked for 12–14 hours with only Sundays off. It was common for women to take factory jobs seasonally during slack periods of farm work. Lack of adequate transportation, long hours, and poor pay made it difficult to recruit and retain workers.<ref name="Beckert_2014"/> The change in the social relationship of the factory worker compared to farmers and cottagers was viewed unfavourably by [[Karl Marx]]; however, he recognized the increase in productivity from technology.<ref>{{cite book|title=History of Economic Thought: A Critical Perspective |last1=Hunt|first1=E.K.|last2=Lautzenheiser|first2=Mark|year=2014|publisher =PHI Learning|isbn= 978-0-7656-2599-1}}</ref>