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Workers left the land and headed for the towns and cities for the same reason as the Chinese are doing it now. They believed that there were opportunities available and a chance to improve their lives. Agricultural work has always been the lowest paid work available, frequently subject to economic depression and the onset of labour saving devices. Industrial work offered to break the link between the worker, the landed elite and the status quo.
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The lower class during the Industrial Revolution had a bad quality of life no matter their occupation. As agriculturists there was no true profit- most of the time, everything you had was used to feed your family. As factory workers you might make more money, but you wouldn’t have assurance of work all the time and you would be subject to horrendous working conditions. Many of the lower class migrated to the city because they simply thought they would prefer urban life to rural life.
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Because many workers were still better off working in the factories during the Industrial Revolution, than on farms.
Your premise is probably correct as it related to yeoman farmers, the minority of farmers that owned their own land and tools, and set their own hours. But many "farmers" were landless, wandering peasants who worked for low wages, and only during the farming season. Think of today's migrant workers. They had to struggle to survive during the winter months. Many did not.
Factory work was "steady" in the sense of being "year-round," and therefore paid better overall. And while "submission" was required, it was no greater than was required on the farm.