<P> The eight - hour day movement or 40 - hour week movement , also known as the short - time movement , was a social movement to regulate the length of a working day , preventing excesses and abuses . It was started by James Deb and had its origins in the Industrial Revolution in Britain , where industrial production in large factories transformed working life . The use of child labour was common . The working day could range from 10 to 16 hours , and the work week was typically six days a week . </P>
<P> The eight - hour day movement or 40 - hour week movement , also known as the short - time movement , was a social movement to regulate the length of a working day , preventing excesses and abuses . It was started by James Deb and had its origins in the Industrial Revolution in Britain , where industrial production in large factories transformed working life . The use of child labour was common . The working day could range from 10 to 16 hours , and the work week was typically six days a week . </P>
where did the 40 hour work week come from
where did the 40 hour work week come from
the Industrial Revolution in Britain
the Industrial Revolution in Britain