Final answer:
The Lowell System was designed to be more humane by hiring young adults and paying in cash, yet it had long hours and low pay, eventually relying on immigrant labor. Assembly lines made jobs boring and repetitious, disconnecting workers from the product they created and limiting upward mobility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Lowell System did aim to be more efficient and to minimize some dehumanizing effects of industrial labor. It
tended to hire young adults, specifically women, as opposed to children, and it did pay in cash rather than in vouchers or company store credit. The system also provided some education and 'wholesome' activities for the workers. However, the conditions were still dismal, workers were paid less than men for the same work, and they faced long hours with strenuous tasks. Over time, many positions were taken by immigrants who would work for even lower wages than the young American women.
Assembly lines affected workers by making jobs more boring and repetitious. Workers were assigned to stand in one place and perform repetitive tasks, disconnecting them from the overall production process. While it was efficient and created more jobs for nonskilled workers, it also reduced job satisfaction and limited upward mobility due to the elimination of most skilled positions.