Hard Times- A Critique on Industrialism and Utilitarianism

“Hard Times” Novel as a Critique on “Industrialism” and “Utilitarianism”

Dickens makes a solid case in Hard Times for the deplorable living conditions of the working class in industrial cities. Factory employees have little prospect of improving their lot in life. The upper middle class rejects creativity and imagination while ignoring their misery.

Industrialism

The Hard Times protests were held in opposition to the negative impacts of industrialism, which in England during the Victorian era was starting to take hold. Like many mill towns in the middle of the nineteenth century, the factory dominated Coketown's economy. Unskilled manufacturing workers have taken the role of skilled craftspeople.

During that time, "Hard Times" was written to criticize and maybe alter the English educational system. Dickens saw the issue with how kids were being educated and tried to fix it. He composed "Hard Times." A class is in session in the brief section of the story we read.

Utilitarianism

Materialism receives a lot of attention in difficult times. The pursuit of pleasure is represented by utilitarianism as a material and economic success. The idea that humans are reduced to machines to create material items is a critique of materialism.

"Hard Times is sometimes referred to as an "Industrial Novel" due to its frank assessment of life in an industrialized England; it exposes the ugliness of utilitarian ethics and "laissez-faire" policies that undermine the fundamental principles of industrial capitalism.

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