There was a dark side of this progressive nation in the form of child labor which was practised throughout the Victorian period.
Children as small as three or five year old were employed by industrial units. These children were an important source of labor to the industries but despite the hard work, they could be paid a very mere sum. The children worked for long tiring hours in the factories doing hazardous jobs. Children, especially boys around the age of eleven or twelve years were employed to clean chimneys.
The basic reason why children were driven to work and jeopardize their lives was because Victorian people lived in large families. The number of people in the family who worked was less as compared to those who were dependent on the earning members. This made it further difficult to earn enough to satisfy everyone’s need.
The miserable living condition forced these families to take any opportunity to make money. Thus, children were pushed into working to help the parents to earn money and support the budget of the family. The mindset of those employing these children was that they were helping a needy family by giving work to their children. This attitude exploited the children rather than saving their innocent childhood.
Speaking Countries 