The rise of wage labor refers to the transition from a predominantly agricultural economy to an industrialized one, where workers were paid wages for their labor rather than being self-employed or working on family farms.
Related terms
Industrial Revolution: A period of rapid industrialization characterized by technological advancements and the shift from handmade production to machine manufacturing.
Factory System: A system where goods are produced in large quantities using machinery, typically in centralized locations called factories.
Division of Labor: The practice of dividing complex tasks into smaller, specialized tasks performed by different workers to increase efficiency and productivity.