Industrial Revolutions and the Rise of Global Imperialism

The First and Second Industrial Revolutions

The First Industrial Revolution

The First Industrial Revolution began with small workshops in towns without machines, characterized by low production. The introduction of steam engines and the division of labor transformed this; each worker was assigned a specific job, leading to increased production and higher profits.

The Second Industrial Revolution

The Second Industrial Revolution introduced new energy sources such as electricity and petroleum. This era saw the rise of industrial machinery and the chemical industry, including pharmaceuticals. Transportation changed significantly with the advent of the car and the airplane, moving away from coal fuel. Business structures evolved into capital stock societies, supported by banks and loans.

Labor Management and Ideologies

New production methods emerged: Taylorism, where each worker is assigned a specific task, and Fordism, focused on mass production and assembly lines. Companies sought to become competitive through mergers. During this time, two major ideologies arose:

• Marxism: Advocates for a revolution to destroy capitalism and empower employees to create a communist society.
• Anarchism: Opposes the state, seeking to substitute it with voluntary associations between individuals while rejecting formal politics.

Imperialism and Global Expansion

Imperialism implies the extension of a country's domain over others. The colonizing country is known as the metropolis. In the 19th century, new players like Britain and France established vast colonies.

Factors Driving Colonial Expansion

• Economic factors: These gained immense importance. Due to the increased production and wealth of the Industrial Revolution, colonies served as markets for manufactured products. Capital was invested in public works like railways and ports, and raw materials were obtained at very low prices.
• Political factors: Colonial expansion increased international prestige and national pride. Powers conquered strategic territories to control important trade routes.
• Demographic factors: As Western populations grew in the 19th century, governments encouraged migration to the colonies to reduce social unrest caused by unemployment.

Spanish Economic Development and Modernization

A Weak Industrial Revolution

Spain experienced a very weak industrial revolution due to a scarcity of raw materials, poor communications, a lack of market demand, and insufficient investment. The first modern industries were textiles and siderurgy (iron and steel). Parallel to this, the first financial institutions were founded. Between 1856 and 1866, over a thousand kilometers of roads were built annually. New sectors like electricity, oil, and the chemical industry also developed.

Land Liberalization and Reform

Agriculture remained the main economic sector, employing 70% of the workforce. The abolition of the mayorazgos in 1837 transformed huge estates into private property. There were two major disentailments (desamortizaciones):

• The Mendizábal Disentailment: The state sold lands belonging to the Church.
• The Madoz Disentailment: This affected land owned by councils and other public institutions.