XPost: soc.history, soc.genealogy.britain   
   From: hayesstw@telkomsa.net   
      
   On Tue, 26 Sep 2017 16:46:29 +0100, "Richard Chambers"   
    wrote:   
      
   >Following the invention of Cartwright's power loom in 1785, the income of   
   >home-based handloom weavers slowly but continuously declined, from about 20   
   >shillings a week in 1785 to as low as 4 or 5 shillings a week in 1840. By   
   >this time, they were in abject poverty, attempting to live on earnings that   
   >would not even supply sufficient food.   
   >   
   >If Adam Smith's theory in "The Wealth of Nations" is correct,  the handloom   
   >weavers in such poverty ought to have left their trade and found alternative   
   >employment, on a much shorter time-scale than 55 years.   
   >   
   >My questions are:-   
   >1. Why did they not leave the trade?   
   >2. Were they trapped by loans, initially taken out to pay for their   
   >expensive handlooms, which they became unable to repay as their earnings   
   >declined? (They would also be unable to re-sell their useless looms in order   
   >to pay off their loans, because there would be no buyers).   
   >3. Were there other reasons that I have not thought of, that would explain   
   >their failure to leave the trade and find other work?   
   >   
   >I am not a historian, and have not been able to find the answer to these   
   >specific questions on the internet, which are the reasons I have ended up   
   >here. I need the information for a talk that I shall be giving on Adam Smith   
   >at our local Philosophy Club, of which I am an ordinary member. Thank you   
   >for any information you can provide. If you can also provide citations to   
   >support your information, so much the better.   
   >   
   >Richard Chambers       Leeds    UK.   
   >==========================================   
      
   Interesting questions.   
      
   I had some family members who were handloom weavers, including my   
   great great grandfather, who lived in Ayrshire in Scotland. He   
   committed suicide, and what you have written above may throw light on   
   that.   
      
      
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