Who was the first person to invent child labor?

Child labor was not invented by a single person; rather, it has existed in various forms throughout history across many cultures. It became particularly prominent during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries when economic demands led to the widespread employment of children in factories and mines. The practice was driven by economic factors rather than the actions of an individual inventor. Efforts to reform child labor laws emerged as awareness of its negative impacts grew.