Industrial Revolution is a very important topic in World History. This gives an essence of how rapid Industrialization helped Britain become a superpower in the world and how the process of imperialism took place. This topic is very important for exams where many questions are coming from this topic only. This article provides detailed information about Industrial Revolution.
Industrial Revolution: An Introduction
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The term industrial revolution refers to the change brought about by the replacement of hand tools with machine tools in the production process.
- Mechanized production started in England in the 1760s. This process continued to gain momentum over time, and Britain became the first country in the world to witness the Industrial Revolution.
Industrial Revolution in Britain
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Britain was the first country in the world to experience the industrial revolution. For nearly half a century, the process of industrialization was confined to Britain. The factors that started the Industrial Revolution in Britain were the uniqueness of British economic life, the systems and practices of political administration, and the prevailing religious ideas in Britain.
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By the mid-18th century, the Agricultural Revolution had taken place in England. As a result of the success of the enclosure movement and the introduction of new agricultural techniques by British farmers. The Enclosure Movement was initiated by a law passed by the British Parliament. These laws made the land for sale. Farmers were allowed to fence off their property to keep out wild animals and hunting parties. Farmers were encouraged to expand their agriculture by cultivating fallow land.
English farmers began to use new agricultural tools and a better kind of iron plow. These devices helped plow even hard soil. To improve soil fertility, British farmers began planting clover and other legumes during low-harvest seasons.
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All of these initiatives led to the Agricultural Revolution, which provided a solid material background for the start of the Industrial Revolution. Raw materials were readily available at home. A significant proportion of the population was released from agriculture. These people could now be employed as industrial workers. The availability of agricultural surpluses increased the demand for the product.
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The commercial revolution also occurred in the 16th century and 17th centuries. English merchants dominated European trade. They also traded with America and Asia. This commercial revolution marked the success of British mercantilism. This resulted in the accumulation of enormous capital in Britain, which encouraged the start of mechanized production. The commercial revolution put British products in high demand on the continental market. The traditional crafts industry in the UK was unable to meet this demand. Under these circumstances, British manufacturers had to start using machines in their production processes.
Britain’s means of communication were far more advanced than those of other European countries.
Factors Responsible for Industrial Revolution
1. Geographical Factors:
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As an island nation, Britain’s foreign trade routes have always been open. Because of this, British trade and commerce have grown rapidly and are much larger than in other countries.
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Iron and coal mines were near England. As a result, the UK light steel industry could grow rapidly.
- Being geographically isolated from the rest of the world, Britain was protected from war damage and destruction during the war.
2. Political Factors:
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The liberal and progressive character of British politics played a key role in the start of Britain’s industrial revolution.
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The Glorious Revolution of 1688 created a constitutional monarchy in England. The British monarch supported the growth of the new economy by creating a favorable political environment.
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The British Parliament has enacted laws according to the needs and aspirations of the people. Citizens enjoyed many freedoms in England. They were able to start economic activities of their choice.
- Britain had vast colonies. These colonies provided British industry with cheap materials and a monopoly market.
3. Socio-Cultural Factors:
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The typical socio-cultural life of the British was also a key factor in the start of the Industrial Revolution. Britain’s population grew rapidly in the 18th century. As a result, the demand for the produced goods increased steadily. Britain’s handicraft-based industry was unable to meet this growing demand, and British manufacturers had to use machinery for more production.
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The nation had an entrepreneurial class. These people invested their money in the new economy at great risk. British explorers were practical. They invested time and energy in directly applicable technology and machinery. Examples: Flying Shuttle (John Kay), Spinning Jenny (James Hargreaves), Steam Engine (James Watt), etc. The use of these machines in the production process gave rise to the industrial revolution.
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In the UK, we have seen a degree of socio-cultural stability. Continental social upheaval was not seen in Britain. Social stability made continuous economic growth possible.
- British socio-cultural life was characterized by free thinking. This environment fostered research and innovation.
4. Religious Factors:
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Britain is a predominantly Protestant country, and Protestant ethics played a very important role in the success of British industrial capitalism. Protestants believe that people are born with a fixed destiny that cannot be changed. But a person’s success in this world indicates whether he or she is blessed or cursed. working hard.
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A Protestant encourages his education because a Protestant must read his Bible. Protestants emphasize the simplicity of life. Combat conspicuous consumption. This encourages savings and capital formation.
- Protestants support and acknowledge hard work. In the Protestant calendar, he has only two holidays. These Protestant ideas greatly helped the growth of the New Economy and facilitated the start and success of the Industrial Revolution.
Impact of Industrial Revolution:
1. On Economy:
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Artisan production has given way to factory-based mechanized production. This has led to the emergence of factories and industrial estates.
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Starting of mass production of goods due to heavy use of machines.
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Industrial goods were much cheaper and of higher quality than traditional artisanal industries.
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Industrial capitalism was born as a result of the revolution. Trade and commerce have picked up due to the availability of new products.
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The use of machines doubled the productivity of workers, thus greatly improving production efficiency. The British textile industry got boosted very fast. Its production increased fifty-fold from 1780 to 1840.
- The Industrial Revolution brought about the emergence of industrial cities. The urbanization process was boosted.
2. On Society:
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The Revolution brought about the emergence of new social classes in the form of workers and capitalists.
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This caused many people to move from villages to industrial centers. This migration adversely affected the character and functioning of social institutions such as the family. The traditional shared family system has been transformed into the nuclear family. Most of the migrants were male, which made it difficult to maintain functioning and often caused stress and strain on family functioning.
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As industrialization progressed, individualism and maternalism became popular.
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The slum problem was another important consequence of the Industrial Revolution, as factory owners did not take responsibility for providing housing and other amenities for their workers.
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The exploitation of the working class was another important result. Workers were forced to work long hours in dangerous conditions for very low wages. Women and children suffered the most because they were the most vulnerable.
- The working-class exploitation deeply wounded the consciences of many aging intellectuals, such as Saint Simon and Louis Blanc. These intellectuals put forward new ideas that led to the emergence of socialism. When socialism was not very successful, Karl Marx advocated a radical academic interpretation known as Maxim/Communism.
3. On Polity:
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The Industrial Revolution brought about an increase in people’s political awareness. This paved the way for the democratization of political and administrative life.
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The British Parliament passed her Reform Act of 1832, paving the way for the middle class (the capitalist class) to enter the political system. Gradually, voting rights were extended to the working class.
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The monopoly of nobility over political life was shattered forever.