How Did Our Life in Production and Consumption Change with Fordism?

The new trend started in automobile production, consumer culture has also changed radically. Even though you are all familiar with the system we will talk about, perhaps you never knew how it was born.

In fact, this story you are about to read is not only a revolution in the factory system, but also How it changed the lives of the working class also reveals.

Henry Ford wanted to make automobiles a product accessible to everyone.

Birth of Fordism In 1913, Henry Ford Ford Motor Company It started with the establishment of its first assembly line. This innovation created a production process in which each worker performed a specific task and the car passed through different stations, moving at a constant speed.

Thanks to the new manufacturing system Production time of Ford Model T decreased dramatically and reduced costs. While the time to assemble each part of the car one by one was 11 hours, this time was reduced with the new system. to 90 minutes was dropped.

The new system not only shortened the production system but also had an impact on costs. The car, which was priced at $825, started selling for $246. So cars to wider audiences reached.

Innovation came not only to technology but also to workers.

Henry Ford also gave his workers daily paying $5 With this wage, which was quite high for that period, he increased their welfare level and reduced their working hours. reduced it to 8 hours a day. This policy not only increased worker satisfaction but also ensured that they had the power to purchase the products they produced.

In fact, this is what Ford wanted. Ford wanted to make sure workers would spend their money appropriately. Of course, there were some conditions for the wage increase. In 1916, he sent social workers to employees’ homes to see if they were suitable for the new consumption system. rational and common sense (non-alcoholic) looked at the consumption capacity. His aim was for them to have a decent family life and moral values.

The effects of Fordism went far beyond the United States.

Manufacturers in Europe, Asia and other regions have also adopted this system. Global expansion, especially after World War II increasing production capacity and it also helped disseminate consumer goods to wider audiences.

However, this process involves local craftsmanship traditions and small scale producers It also negatively affected global homogenization.

Although Fordism was effective and efficient, it began to receive criticism over time.

There were those who liked the system but also those who criticized it. Criticisms are often created on workers It was monotony and lack of creativity. Because craftsmanship was disappearing. Over time, this monotony could lead to psychological and social problems, while continuous and accelerated production also caused environmental destruction.

As Fordism evolves in the modern world, its original principles are changing.

Today, industrial production methods are not the same as they were in Ford’s time. from rigid assembly lines rather, it has shifted towards more flexible systems that include automation and technological integration.

robotic systems and artificial intelligence has actually made production processes more efficient and requiring less manpower. However, still main impact of fordism The philosophy of mass production still continues to be effective in many sectors.

But modern businesses are no longer sustainability and customization As it has adopted concepts such as these more, it has become more sensitive to consumer demands. If we call this today’s Fordism, the new system has taken on a structure that cares about environmental and social responsibilities while maintaining high production capacities.

Yours fordism What are your thoughts about it and its effects?

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