Review of:
Author of Review: Detlev Mares
First publication of review: Contemporary British History 15, 2001, S. 124-126.
For people in Western societies, the concept of child labour often remains associated with the plight of child workers in industrialising countries or with their own societies' past. The authors of the present collection set out to demolish this common perception. Using the example of 19th and 20th century Britain, they - and the editor in particular - aim to show that child labour is "a structural feature of capitalist societies" (p. 52). It may have changed in its forms and intensity, but this does not, in their opinion, lessen its importance for running a capitalist economy.
This view, which is developed by Michael Lavalette in two thought-provoking and extensive essays on theoretical issues (which together form part I of the collection), takes issue with a so-called "new sociology of childhood". It contends that children's work is not inherently oppressive, but can serve as an instrument to give children a voice and to develop the self-esteem of future mature members of society. Furthermore, Lavalette opposes explanations of child labour which solely link the phenomenon to economic preconditions. The best-known of such approaches tend to link the need for child labour to strained economic conditions and underline the importance of children's contributions to family income.
Having attacked these current views of child labour, the authors in the second part of the collection introduce a historical dimension into the explanation of child labour. The central argument, again developed by Lavalette in a seminal essay, maintains that the present form of child labour is the result of crucial shifts in the life of working-class families, in the role towards social policy adopted by the state, and in economic development. The gist of these overlapping ideological, social and economic developments led to the identification of education as "the most suitable activity for children to perform" (p. 68). Still, despite the widely recognized need for educating the future work-force, child labour did not disappear. Instead, it became "deproblematized" (p. 138): Children's work was perceived as a harmless out-of-school activity, which only was problematic if it interfered with the requirements of school attendance. As part of the same process, the world of child labour became separated from adult work: "Children's jobs" were no longer perceived as part of the national economy, but were rather seen as a preparation for entry into "real" grown-up pursuits. As Lavalette convincingly argues, this shift in the appreciation of children's work took place around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The potential gap between children's work and the official recognition of juvenile labour is demonstrated by Stephen Cunningham: Only in the 1970s did flaws in child employment law trigger legislative action, while in preceding decades evidence of exploitation or overwork tended to be neglected.
The essays in part III deal with the current situation in Britain. In a paper which would achieve even more clout if it included more precise figures, Madeleine Leonard argues that even after 1970, children's jobs have by no means been restricted to delivery work, shop work or catering. In many cases they have mirrored the adult labour market, a result showing that it is misconceived to underrate the economic importance of children's work. This observation leads on to a consideration of the limitations in the legal arrangements covering children's work: David Cornwell, Katya Graham and Sandy Hobbs find that despite best intentions, legislators so far have not sufficiently paid attention to the details and specific circumstances affecting different forms of child labour.
The general line of reasoning of the contributions thus maintains the importance of children's work in the British economy and calls for greater legislative efforts to save children from overwork. Apart from this, however, not all articles do follow a pre-formulated editorial line. Certainly, due to the quantitative (a third of the book) and intellectual preponderance of Lavalette's own contributions, his arguments tend to dominate the book. But they don't serve as a blueprint for all authors. So while at one point the second part of the book is said to aim at explaining of how education became identified as the primary activity for children (p. 68), at other places claims are limited to show "the range of academic interests in child labour" (p. 74). This the collection certainly achieves. Characteristically, much space is given to authors who partly challenge editorial positions. Contrary to the general line of reasoning, Ben Whitney calls for a loosening of petty restrictions on child work and for "setting reasonable limits" (p. 247) which would be acceptable both to child protectionists, employers and children. In historical analysis as well, authors opinions diverge. Thus, Peter Kirby as well as Sara Horrell and Jane Humphries question the impact of legislation on the shaping of child labour. They argue that in the early years of industrialization humanitarian legislation only played "a minor role in in the eventual withdrawal of children from paid employment" (p. 98). As Kirby shows, industrial change in coalmining rather than the Mines Act of 1842 caused the falling numbers of child workers in mining.
Occasionally, the general argument is somewhat dented by a sometimes too obvious Marxist tinge to the line of reasoning. Lavalette's claim that "child labour, like all paid labour, is exploitative" (p. 17) explodes the issue of child labour within a general critique of capitalism, leaving no breathing space for a differentiated verdict on the specific issue of child work. Fortunately, in the end neither the contributors nor the editor himself fall into this trap. Instead, the collection manages to draw attention to the still very important contribution of children to the economy of Britain and, indeed, Western societies (a point which is underlined by Jim McKechnie's foray into the situation in the USA). It warns against complacency and draws attention to the principal vulnerability of child actors in the economy. And finally, it manages to raise awareness for the fact that child labour is not only a phenomenon of industrialising countries or a distant past, but continues to require the careful attention of legislators, scientists, employers and parents. In many respects, this is a highly political, even partisan book. But it should be welcomed for presenting a wide range of sometimes provocative arguments in an ongoing discussion about an important subject.
Back to List of Publications
Back to Homepage