The Industrial Revolution

Outline

 What is industrial revolution? The Etymology.

 What are/were the factors/causes of Industrial revolution?
 What are the impacts? Positive vs. Negative.
 Why the industrial revolution occurred in Europe?
What is industrial revolution? The Etymology
 “The unprecedented and rapid transition in the production and
manufacturing processes that ensued massive and abrupt economic and
social changes.”
 Transition included:
 Hand production methods to machines;
 New chemical manufacturing;
 Coal mining and iron/steel production process;
 Increasing use of steam power and water power instead of wind;
 Development of machine tools; and
 The rise of mechanized factory system;

 Debate regarding etymology

 Who coined the term first? Arnold Toynbee popularized the term in 1881
 Whether it’s a revolution or not?
 Factors/causes of Industrial revolution?
 Technological inventions and innovations –
 Inventions and innovations
 James Hargreaves – Spinning Jenny in 1764
 Edmund Cartright water-powered loom in 1787
 Invention of coal-fired steam engine by James Watt in 1760 and latter modified in
1782 to drive machinery;
 Robert Fulton built paddle-wheel steamboat in 1807 in USA.
 In 1780s Henry Cort developed a process called puddling in iron industry i.e.,
coke, which was derived from coal, was used to burn away impurities in crude
iron called pig iron and produce an iron of high quality
 Changes in Agriculture – expansion of farmland, good weather, potato production,
improved transportation – abundant food – population growth
 Natural Resources and Market
 Complementarities – each complemented or fostered another
 Impacts: Positive vs. Negative

 Positive  Not so positive!!

 Mass production process;
 Strengthening of Imperialism
 Massive production (iron 17,000 tons in 1740 to and Colonialism;
70,000 in 1780, and 3 million in 1852; cotton import
2.5 million pounds in 1760, 22 million in 1787 and  Forced and extended labor;
366 million in by 1840) and abundant economy;
 Repression of women and
 Capital accumulation and increased investment;
children in terms of
 Increase in income, per capita GDP, and increasing
standard of living;  forced and extended labor
 Technological inventions and innovations; and
 Growth of population and migration from rural to  low wages;
urban, from countryside to cities;
 Why in Europe?
 Euro-centrism - The intellectual superiority of the Europeans!!
 The technological inventions and innovations occurred in
Britain
 The British people had the capital – due to feudalism
 Abundant natural resources – Coal, Iron ore, availability of
water from many Rivers both for use in chemical industry and
transportation
 Control over large market – British Colonies and increasing
domestic market