Industrial Revolution Transformations: Agriculture, Energy, and Labor

Industrial Revolution Transformations (1780 Onward)

Agricultural Progress

• The triennial rotation was substituted by the Norfolk four-course system.
• The amount of livestock increased, leading to improved human nutrition.
• Spread of maize and potatoes enhanced food availability.
• The open field system was substituted by Enclosure Acts, turning common land into private property and reducing the number of peasants.

Demographic Revolution

This revolution grew in the 18th century. The main cause was the decrease in mortality thanks to improvements in nutrition and the decline in major epidemics. It was also a result of progress in urban hygiene and medicine. The birth rate remained high, increasing the available workforce and demand for products.

New Energy Sources and Work Organization Changes

The use of new energy sources and changes in work organization characterized this era.

Energy Sources

• Coal and Raw Materials: Cotton and iron were essential. The steam engine (patented 1769) utilized these resources, marking the start of the first phase.
• Oil: Used to move engines that worked with gasoline and diesel (becoming prominent later).
• Electricity: Used for lighting and to drive engines, substituting manual labor with machines.

Industry and Infrastructure

The second phase (beginning late 19th century) saw significant technological leaps:

• Textile Industry: Hydraulic machinery was used, forcing factories to locate near rivers.
• Iron Industry: The wood oven was substituted by coal ovens, leading to large growth in British iron production.
• Metallurgy: Incorporated new metals.
• Chemical Industry: Elaborated new petroleum products (plastics, dyes, pharmaceuticals, synthetic fibres, and explosives).
• Other Sectors: Electrical equipment, mechanics, and the food industry benefited. Key materials included coal, iron, and copper.

Trade and Transport

• Domestic Trade: Improvements in road surfaces and the construction of canals facilitated internal movement.
• Foreign Trade: Reached a global level, often supported by British colonialism.
• Electricity was applied to railways (trams and underground systems).
• The internal combustion engine enabled advancements in the car, navigation, and aviation sectors.

Work Organization

Division of Labour

This involved separating the work process into different phases or simple tasks, assigning each worker a specific task.

Efficiency Systems

• Taylorism: Applied by Frederick Taylor, it aimed to achieve maximum efficiency. The exact way of carrying out each task was determined, the time needed for each task was clocked, and production incentives were granted.
• Fordism: Applied by Henry Ford in his automobile factory, where each worker performed only one task. Performance was increased, and products could be sold at a lower price.