Final answer:
The statement is true; quality control inspections were indeed part of the production line in the past, providing a final check for the quality of the product before it left the factory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that quality control inspections were conducted at the end of the production line in the past is true. Before the modern era of manufacturing, craftsmen and farmers produced goods and had a personal connection to the items they crafted or grew, as they could see the tangible evidence of their labor. However, with the advent of assembly line production in factories, this changed. Work became more monotonous and specialized to the point where only those working at the very end of the production process, such as on the loading docks, would see the completed product. As a result, factory workers often could not identify with the final goods they helped produce. This marked a shift from earlier times when the production process was less fragmented, and quality control often happened throughout the production process, including at the end of the line, ensuring that the finished product met certain standards before being shipped out.