Industrial Revolution Transformations: Economy, Politics, and Society

Backgrounds

Commercial, Scientific, and Intellectual Revolutions.

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was a change in the way goods were produced and distributed, shifting from human and animal power to machines. Key improvements occurred in Agriculture, Demography, Transportation, and Communication.

Comparison: Domestic vs. Factory Systems

• Domestic System: Method (tools), Location (home), Ownership (hand tools owned by the worker).
• Factory System: Method (machines), Location (factory), Ownership (owned by the capitalist).

Why England?

Several factors contributed to the Industrial Revolution beginning in England:

• Capital for investigating the means of production.
• Colonies and markets for manufactured goods.
• Availability of raw materials.
• A workforce (workers).
• A strong merchant marine.
• Geopolitical advantages.

First Industries

The Textile and Metallurgical industries were the first to industrialize.

Innovation Cycle

One invention inevitably leads to improvements upon it and to more inventions.

Developments in the Textile Industry

A series of mechanical inventions, beginning in 1733 and lasting until 1793, would enable the cotton industry to mass-produce quality goods.

Developments of Transportation

Increased production necessitated the search for more markets and raw materials, leading to the development of better and faster means of transport.

USA and Germany

These nations began significant industrialization after 1830.

First and Second Industrial Revolutions

First Industrial Revolution (c. 1750–1870)

• Main Industry: Textile.
• Key Materials: Coal and iron.
• Energy Source: Coal.
• Communication: Telegraph.
• Transportation: Steamboat, locomotive, macadamized roads.

Second Industrial Revolution (c. 1870–1960)

• Main Industry: Chemical sector.
• Metal Industry: Iron and steel.
• Energy Sources: Electricity, petroleum, coal.
• Communication: Newspaper, telephone, radio, cinematograph.
• Transportation: Railroads, canals, automobiles, airplanes.

Trains and Canals

These innovations helped secure access to more markets and raw materials quickly and reliably. Notable canals include the Suez (1869) and Panama (1914).

Developments of Production

Key advancements included standardized parts, the assembly line, and labor division and specialization.

Economic Changes

• Expansion of world trade.
• Factory system adoption.
• Mass production of goods.
• Rise of industrial capitalism.
• Increase in the standard of living.
• Occurrence of unemployment.

Political Changes

• Rise to power of business people.
• Growth of new socio-economic classes.
• Growth and expansion of democracy.
• Increased government involvement in society.
• Increased power of industrialized nations.
• Nationalism and imperialism stimulated.

Social Changes

• Development and growth of cities (Urbanization).
• Population increases.
• Science and research stimulated.
• New problems emerged: economic insecurity, urban slums.
• Formation of the labor movement.
• Increase in leisure time.

Risks

The negative consequences included unemployment, economic insecurity, and the proliferation of urban slums.