In this article we are going to share with you a landing on the English Industrial Revolution.
THE England it was the country that came out ahead in the process of Industrial Revolution, from the 18th century.
British industries of the early eighteenth century were generally small-scale and relatively unsophisticated. Most textile production, for example, was centered on small workshops or spinning houses, weavers and dyehouses: a literal “craft industry” involving thousands of manufacturers individual. This small-scale production was also a feature of most other industries, with different regions specializing in different products: metal production in the Midlands, for example, and coal mining in the North East.
New techniques and technologies in agriculture have paved the wave of change. Increasing amounts of food were produced over the century, ensuring that enough was available to meet the needs of the ever-growing population. A surplus of cheap agricultural labor has led to severe unemployment and increased poverty in many rural areas. As a result, many people left the countryside to find work in towns and cities. Thus, the scene was set for a large-scale labor-intensive factory system.
As there were limited sources of power, industrial development during the early eighteenth century was initially slow. Textile factories, heavy machinery and the pumping of coal mines depended heavily on ancient energy technologies: water wheels, windmills, and horsepower were often the only sources available.
Changes in steam technology, however, began to drastically change the situation. As early as 1712, Thomas Newcomen first unveiled his steam-powered piston engine, which allowed for more efficient pumping of deep mines. Steam engines improved rapidly as the century progressed and were used more and more. More efficient and powerful engines were employed in coal mines, textile factories and dozens of other heavy industries. By 1800 perhaps 2,000 steam engines would eventually work in Britain
Why did the Industrial Revolution start in Britain? Was it because they are a particularly ingenious and industrial people or just an event in history?
The Industrial Revolution is widely accepted as taking place between the 1760s and World War I. It was a period marked by major technological, socioeconomic and geopolitical changes in the world.
This would literally change the face of human history forever.
Several reasons have been postulated throughout history as to why the Industrial Revolution started in Britain. But one of the most convincing are the arguments put forward by a Turkish-American economist Daron Acemoglu and British political scientist James A. Robinson in his fascinating book “Why Nations Fail”.
By his estimation, it is no accident that it started in Britain. But, in turn, the very fact that Britain has reached a point where it was fertile ground for revolution is part of the fluke and part of cultural development.
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In short, changes in history such as The Fall of Rome, The Black Death, signing of the Magna Carta, break with the Church Catholic Church and the Glorious Revolution initially had small but profound cumulative effects over time. In a way, it can be compared to Chaos Theory, where small changes in initial conditions can result in a very different result when everything else is the same.
Of course, the story's path is not always linear. There were setbacks in British history before the Industrial Revolution.
The Civil War and Oliver Cromwell's following tyrannical tyrannical regime is one of them. However, this cemented the Protestant work ethic in British culture, and more powers were granted to the British monarch's government in its aftermath.
According to Acemoglu and Robinson, once the path had been established for greater rule of law, development of inclusive institutions in the society, property rights and lack of fear of creative destruction of the ruling classes, the Industrial Revolution was virtually guaranteed in the Kingdom United.
According to Acemoglu and Robinson, “inclusive economic institutions… are those that allow and encourage participation of the great mass of people in economic activities that make the best use of their talents and skills".
But it had been bought and paid for in a lot of blood and political struggle beforehand.
While inclusive institutions were vitally important in enabling this to happen, they were not the whole story.
Other factors also played a role. Seeds were sown, literally, thanks to the agricultural revolution that allowed for the production of food surpluses and population growth.
Almost immediately, any excess work was drawn to larger population centers in search of work and fortune. Inclusive institutions such as the banks of the time could provide unhindered capital to challenge the entrepreneurs to build new technologies and companies that otherwise would not be able to to do.
Importantly, the rule of law and property rights also promoted investment and risk. Large capital-hungry structures, like factories, could now be built on credit.
The granting of patents has also been challenged from Monarchal's whim to a formalized and legally binding system. This created confidence for investors and inventors to bet.
Britain also had a wealth of coal, iron, and other resources in a relatively small country, which would help drive the revolution and feed it. It's small, but the growing Colonial Empire also provided a ready market for surplus products, providing more impetus to entrepreneurs and new industrialists.
Initial developments took place in the cotton industry with the development of spinning jenny, shuttle and power loom, and very soon, other industries would benefit from industrialization.
The world would never be the same again, and all thanks to small but significant changes in the course of British history compared to other European nations.
Always thinking of making it easy for you, (readers of education and transformation), we decided to make all the Summary of the English Industrial Revolution for download in PDF.
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